* Ethiopian famine: bad government, not bad weather Nov 19, 2009
Both were caused by oppressive governments restricting the rights of individuals to own land and to trade: Subsistence farming, combined with disease and bad weather, killed hundreds of thousands. Since the 1920s, global deaths from drought-related famines have fallen by 99. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Mozambique: How to Demine - the Devil is in the Detail Nov 4, 2009
When peace came in 1992, these poor and vulnerable communities sank back into irrelevance, but the landmine legacy turned subsistence farming or a game of soccer into deadly pursuits. Mine clearance is like a combination of gardening and archaeology; with the exception of the metal detector, the tools - such as clippers and trowels - can be bought at gardening shops, but that is where the similarities end. (allAfrica.com)
Nasa to irradiate monkeys for space voyage research... Nov 3, 2009
" How stupid do you all think we are? Was it a great joke to the reporter and/or others to word it like that? They'll die HORRIBLY of radiation exposure, if they get exposed to enough, and I doubt they're going to expose them to just 'a little bit.' That wouldn't get them their research, now would it? Insulting reporting, and a truly disgusting thing for NASA to start doing again. Maybe it really IS time to significantly lower our space budget...and I never thought I'd say that, seriously. K on... (The Drudge Report)
South Africa: Women Farmers Play Vital Role in Food Security Nov 1, 2009
"At first the focus was only on improving vegetable production and growing chicks for their own use," she told AllAfrica, "but now many more of them are interested in learning about business skills so that they can set up their own small enterprises. "It is heartening to notice that more women are changing their mindsets from subsistence farming to setting up enterprises that can also earn a living for them and their families. There are not many formal agribusinesses at the moment, but I'm... (allAfrica.com)
Liberia: Post-War Farmers Persevere Amid Multiple Challenges Oct 27, 2009
But he and his neighbors are not content just to eek out a daily living through subsistence farming. I want to send food to the market this year, says Ziayee. (allAfrica.com)
Liberia: Government Lacks Vision LP Charles Brumskine Says; Prescribes Steps for 2011 Transition Oct 18, 2009
Poverty reduction in the midst of rampant corruption is impossible," he said. He accused President Sirleaf of personally stabbing poverty reduction in the back by seeking "to destroy Liberianization" through the submission a bill to the Legislature to repeal the Liberianization Act. The repeal of the Act, he said, would expose to and put Liberian petty business owners in direct competition with foreign business people in the sale of ice cubes and cold water, all in the name of free enterprise... (allAfrica.com)
Africa: Time for Home Grown Policies to Transform African Agriculture [column] Oct 16, 2009
AGRA is working with African and international partners to transform the subsistence farming of smallholders into a productive, efficient, economically viable and sustainable system that can lift millions out of poverty. This will take comprehensive change, a key part of which is increasing farmers' access to new technologies, such as improved seeds of African staple crops, as well as fertilizers and other inputs. (allAfrica.com)
Kenya: Food Security at Lowest Ebb in 20 Years Oct 15, 2009
"People in rural areas who depend on subsistence farming and casual workers have mostly been affected, forced to scale down their calorie intake to one meal a day," she says. "People in rural area do not have a strong voice as those in urban areas, so the situation may not get as much attention in those areas," she adds. (allAfrica.com)
Nigeria: Government Steps in to Curb Farmer-Nomad Clashes Oct 13, 2009
"Farmers need to be provided with new farming techniques, high-yielding crop varieties and other farming tools and incentives to uplift them from the traditional subsistence farming to modern mechanized farming," Nanono told IRIN.. This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. (allAfrica.com)
Burning problem Sep 25, 2009
This imbalance will make subsistence farming, upon which millions of Africans depend, even more precarious. It will also exacerbate famine and disease. (BBC News -- Africa)
Angola: Rich and Poor - One Country but Worlds Apart Sep 18, 2009
The Centre of Studies and Scientific Investigation (known by its Portuguese acronym, CEIC) at the Catholic University of Angola records unemployment at around 25 percent, but notes more than half of the population rely on the informal sector to generate income, and in rural areas most remain dependent on subsistence farming. No jobs. (allAfrica.com)
Sodom And Gommorah Our Collective Shame Sep 16, 2009
Poverty in Africa in general and Ghana in particular is predominantly rural; more than 70% of all Africas poor live in rural areas and depend on subsistence farming for food and livelihood. That is the primary reason for the creation of Sodom and Gomorrah- rural/urban migration. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
* Millions face starvation in East African drought Sep 5, 2009
In a region where small scale subsistence farming is the mainstay of a majority of the population, the impact of climate change on rainy seasons can often have dramatic consequences. Response to drought disasters have similarly been erratic and short-term: appeals for donor aid, emergency food distributions and medical assistance, all of which quickly dry up when the first drops of rain fall. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Cattlemen seek say in stockwater suit Sep 1, 2009
The lawsuit claims that the groundwater well exemption is not exempt and unlimited but rather it is limited to family subsistence farming. Field said the association wants to support stock watering rights in the lawsuit and to be sure that the historical reliance and importance of the exemption to forage-based operators was clearly represented in the court. (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)
Zuma values white farmers - Mulder Aug 31, 2009
While there was an argument that the farming mix should include subsistence farming, access to "land doesn't necessarily equal wealth", he said. The number of commercial farms had halved from 70 000 10 years ago to 35 000 today, amid increased competition. (Business Report, South Africa)
Namibia: Land Reform Reaping Fruits Despite Problems Aug 31, 2009
Most families have for generations been living on and using the land for subsistence farming. The government this year embarked on mapping these estimated 236,000 land parcels - around 25 ha each - and issuing land right certificates. (allAfrica.com)
East Timor's lost opportunity Aug 29, 2009
But a decade has not erased uncertainty about the future of a country where 70 per cent of people live rurally, surviving on subsistence farming and food bartering. Forty per cent of Timorese live below the poverty line, life expectancy hovers around 60, and one woman in 35 dies in childbirth (compared with one in 13,000 in Australia). (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Zimbabwe: Farming Inputs Dilemma Aug 24, 2009
Traditionally, farmers used to complain about the unavailability of inputs on the market while their pockets are awash with cash, but this season both seed and fertilizer are available on the market in abundance yet the prices are out of reach for smallholders who want to go beyond subsistence farming. Fertilizer is selling at between US$30 and US$42 per 50kg bag while a 50kg bag of maize seed is going for US$50. (allAfrica.com)
Sierra Leone: Tap Into Power of Artisanal Mining, Analysts Say Aug 1, 2009
The World Bank puts artisanal diamond mining as the country's second-biggest employer after subsistence farming. Among the world's top 10 diamond-producing nations, Sierra Leone ranked last of 179 countries in the UN's latest index based on human development indicators. (allAfrica.com)
Upper West Region, land of opportunities and misfortunes - Minister Jul 11, 2009
Mr. Khalid blamed the high poverty level in the region partly to subsistence farming system engaged by the people and the absence or non-commitment to a well coordinated development strategy for the north. He said the development challenges of the north were well known to everybody and called for affirmative development plan for the north to reduce poverty. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Sudan: Can Local Investors Beat Foreign Investment? Jul 6, 2009
"Most local farmers are familiar with traditional subsistence farming, but don't have the experience with large-scale commercial projects," he told IPS News. "Foreign investment can also help improve transport infrastructure and bring down energy costs.". (allAfrica.com)
* FEATURE : Project aims to yield lessons on saving forests Jun 20, 2009
These drivers included subsistence farming, logging or other uses of the forests and it was crucial to focus on economic development opportunities to tackle them. Alternative schemes could include fish farming, growing alternative cash crops and sustainable forestry by planting valuable timber species for harvesting. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Do-good travel Jun 6, 2009
A small village of about 450 people, Kg Kipouvo depends largely on subsistence farming and rubber tapping whilst a small number of locals work in the civil service. Alistair Clarke (and Maria) began English conversational classes for the village kids. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Angola: Smart Relief Needed As Floodwaters Fall May 27, 2009
The challenges are vast: communities living in traditional family structures in remote areas, hundreds of kilometres from towns and relying mainly on subsistence farming now need food and need it fast. Cunene, which also has the country's highest prevalence of HIV - 10 percent compared to 2. (allAfrica.com)
Our True Heroes: The Neglected Majority May 25, 2009
They are the teachers, especially those who are posted to the deprived areas of our country with no supplementary benefits; the health professionals who accept postings to the hinterlands where living standards are so egregious; the poor farmers, who since umpteen times still depend on subsistence farming; the poor pupils, who due to no fault of theirs see helplessly their dreams and potentials buried because of their geographic location. I know some people are going to contend me for... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
A Critical Look at Dams and Poverty Reduction in the Upper East Region May 21, 2009
For a very long time it has been small-scale subsistence farming except in the cases of rice and vegetable production. However, they all rely mainly on rains. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Laos Plans to Sell First International Bond to Fund Hydropower Projects May 19, 2009
Copper and gold mining, hydropower and tourism are the biggest sources of income in a country where most people survive on subsistence farming. The ADB gross domestic product will grow 5. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Q&A: Elections in Malawi May 15, 2009
Most Malawians rely on subsistence farming, but the country is prone to natural disasters, putting it in constant need of thousands of tonnes of food aid. The ruling party has pledged to continue with its popular programme of selling subsidised fertiliser to poor farmers. (BBC News -- Africa)
Film tells story of education in Haiti May 14, 2009
Education is also very centralized around the capital and universities there, said Schnorr, while everyone outside the capital makes their living by subsistence farming. Culture shock. (Lincoln Journal, MA)
Localism And Cosmopolites May 13, 2009
Theres no paradox; the economic and cultural relationship between large urban areas and the rural countryside has existed in just about every civilization thats grown beyond subsistence farming. It is only paradoxical for the individuals that feel the desire to uphold one side or the other as the only authentic way to live for everyone. (The American Conservative)
Is Our Society Suffering From Economic Illiteracy? May 5, 2009
Notwithstanding, more than 50 years after independence, Ghanaians and Africans in general still practice the backbreaking subsistence farming that has paid and still paying for education which is not ready to come to their rescue ... Marmite, which is full of vitamin B complex and made from "juni, has market in Europe and they are demanded in the form of "pkali" in West Africa. "Chihaa" also produces oil and has many other uses. Leaves of the baobab tree, which our people call "Topkaraa", and... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Work begins on Niger uranium mine May 5, 2009
Other than uranium mining, Niger's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock production. The BBC's West Africa correspondent, John James, says the fluctuating world price in uranium has brought repeated instability to the country's economy. (BBC News -- Africa)
Testimonies: How the downturn is hitting poor men and women Apr 2, 2009
Quddus decided to go to Dubai to seek labouring work, believing that it would be his ticket out of subsistence farming. Quddus staked all he had - and more - to afford the visa. (AlertNet)
Thousands of U.S. troops to be deployed to Afghanistan Mar 28, 2009
The so-called civilian surge would concentrate on improving life for ordinary Afghans, and would include experts in agriculture in a country where subsistence farming is the norm. The civilians are also meant to help extend government services and the administration of justice. (Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ)
Natives, Bay Street form country's biggest farm Mar 27, 2009
Agriculture was mentioned in all of the numbered treaties signed by the Crown on the Prairies, but as historian Sarah Carter has shown, federal Indian agents pursued a policy that restricted natives to peasant subsistence farming. They weren't permitted to use labour-saving devices and were restricted from selling their grain on the open market, forcing many out of farming. (Globe and Mail -- National)
Michelle Obama's Really Weird Farming Outfit Mar 24, 2009
But this aint subsistence farming (see this for what a real victory garden looks like). So was the outfit a) a calculated middle finger to mores that expect a woman to have a green thumb. (Slate)
New destinations Mar 20, 2009
Page last updated at 00:05 GMT, Friday, 20 March 2009. Migrants change track to beat recession. (BBC News -- Business)
Cornerstone Project Celebrates Opening of School in Kenya Mar 18, 2009
"The school will offer college prep classes for university bound students as well as an agricultural school and vocational programs for those not academically inclined.It is hoped the agricultural program will enhance productivity in Nambale, an area dependent on subsistence farming. Sales of crops grown at the school as well as products generated through vocational programs will help the school's bottom line."The goal is for the school to no longer be reliant on charitable donations to... (Voices, CT)
Thousands homeless after Angola floods Mar 13, 2009
The landlocked province of Cunene, on the Namibian border, is one of Angola's poorest provinces where the majority of the population rely on subsistence farming. 2009. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Public Information Notice: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2008 Article IV Consultation with the Federated States of Micronesia Mar 6, 2009
The use of the U.S. dollar as the official currency, high prevalence of subsistence farming, and switching to lower-quality imports have limited price increases. The current account is estimated to have widened by 8 percentage points to 21 percent of GDP in FY2008 as the rapidly increasing costs of fuel and food imports outsized higher fishing revenues. (IMF News)
The world's slums are overcrowded, unhealthy - and increasingly seen as resourceful communities that can offer lessons to modern cities. Mar 1, 2009
Their humming economic activity and proximity to city centers represent big advantages over the subsistence farming that many slum dwellers have fled. Numerous observers have noted the enterprising spirit of these places, evident not only in their countless tiny businesses, but also in the constant upgrading and expansion of homes. (Boston Globe)
Woodbury Group Bringing New Hope to Kenya Feb 20, 2009
Students will learn modern agricultural techniques in order to help farmers in the area move beyond subsistence farming to a more efficient approach. "This will help embellish the community, not just sending the smart kids to school, to college and then to not return to the region, but it will help on many levels in creating roots of change in the region that will empower the entire area hopefully out of poverty," said Ms. Nolletti. (Litchfield County Times, CT)
Science: Mass extinctions after one-two punch? Feb 18, 2009
Over the last 6,000 years, subsistence farming began changing the climate and clearing wilderness slowly enough to constitute 'press'-type stresses on the environment. But people began burning fossil fuels in earnest during the Industrial Revolution, and have skyrocketed while growing population numbers have led to widespread habitat loss around the globe. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Eco-Colonialism Degrades Africa Feb 14, 2009
But Greenpeace and Sierra Club oppose this precision hybrid-making technology, and instead promote land and labor-intensive subsistence farming. DDT and insecticides could slash malaria rates that al Gore and other climate alarmists falsely claim are rising because of global warming. (Townhall.com)
Full text of Budget 2009 speech Feb 12, 2009
He writes that when he was a teenager, "the villagers used to plough their land and harvest enough food to last at least a year. There was plenty of maize, beans and other vegetables, and except for drastic drought years, we would never go hungry. The subsistence farming system has totally collapsed in many areas. It is sad to see vast amounts of land go to waste when we have a food price problem." He suggests the encouragement of partnerships between private farmers and villagers to once again... (Business Report, South Africa)
Future tense Feb 10, 2009
Parents struggle to feed and clothe their children, a series of droughts has created terrible hardships, jobs are still scarce and subsistence farming is often the only thing that keeps hunger at bay. Corruption is endemic and people are suspicious about where all the foreign aid money has gone. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Why the environmental movement can't ignore the population issue Feb 7, 2009
My understanding is that population levels drop as economic situations shift from subsistence farming (in which large families are an advantage) to industrial (in which large families are a disadvantage). Resource distribution and consumption is far more of a problem than the absolute numbers of people which in any case can best be controlled by working toward a stable industrial society in which large numbers of children don't die in infancy, it becomes very expensive to have and raise children... (BBC News -- Science)
