Subsistence gathering
Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Primary Activities"
Meaning
Subsistence gathering is gathering by people in harsh climates to meet their own needs for food, shelter and clothing. It needs little capital and very simple technology. Each person gets very little from it, and there is little or no surplus left to sell. It is found in two belts:
- High latitudes: northern Canada, northern Eurasia and southern Chile.
- Low latitudes: the Amazon Basin, tropical Africa, the northern fringe of Australia and interior Southeast Asia.
Example
Forest tribes in the Amazon Basin of Brazil gather wild fruits, nuts, roots and honey for their own use.
Don't confuse with
- Commercial gathering: people collect plant products such as cork, rubber or gums to process and sell in markets.