Which farming system uses large areas of land with low inputs of labor and capital, often resulting in lower yields?

Which farming system uses large areas of land with low inputs of labor and capital, often resulting in lower yields?

• A. Extensive agriculture
• B. Intensive agriculture
• C. Industrial farming
• D. Organic farming

Answer: (A)

Extensive farming is defined by using large tracts of land with relatively low inputs of labor and capital per unit area. Because input levels are kept low, management is less intensive and yields per hectare tend to be lower compared with systems that push for high productivity on smaller plots. However, total production can cover vast areas when land is abundant. In contrast, intensive agriculture focuses on high inputs—more labor, capital, and often technology—to achieve high yields on smaller areas, and industrial farming is a highly mechanized, large-scale form of that approach. Organic farming centers on avoiding synthetic inputs and building soil health, but it does not inherently describe using large land areas with low inputs. Therefore, the scenario described fits extensive farming.

Extensive farming is defined by using large tracts of land with relatively low inputs of labor and capital per unit area. Because input levels are kept low, management is less intensive and yields per hectare tend to be lower compared with systems that push for high productivity on smaller plots. However, total production can cover vast areas when land is abundant.

In contrast, intensive agriculture focuses on high inputs—more labor, capital, and often technology—to achieve high yields on smaller areas, and industrial farming is a highly mechanized, large-scale form of that approach. Organic farming centers on avoiding synthetic inputs and building soil health, but it does not inherently describe using large land areas with low inputs. Therefore, the scenario described fits extensive farming.