• Title/Summary/Keyword: Subsistence economy

Search Result 15, Processing Time 0.021 seconds

Recent shell midden studies in Korea (우리나라 패총 연구의 최근 동향)

  • Deog-im, An
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
    • /
    • v.39
    • /
    • pp.39-58
    • /
    • 2006
  • This study reviews recent shell midden studies in Korea. With more interest in biological materials, recent shell midden studies have attempted to reconstruct palaeoenvironment, and understand subsistence economy, the formation processes and function of sites and past culture. Especially, one of the major topics in prehistoric Korean shell midden studies is the transitional process from hunter-gatherer to farmer. To solve these questions related with shell middens, new sampling strategies and excavation techniques have been adopted. Analytical methods combined with scientifical technologies also have been introduced to shell middle studies. These methods indude stable isotope analyses(Oxygen isotope and Carbon and Nitrogen isotope analyses) and growth-line analysis, etc.

Patterns of Subsistence Production in the Early Bronze Age in the Seoul/Gyeonggi Region (서울·경기지역 청동기시대 전기 생계자원(生計資源) 생산방식)

  • LEE Minyoung
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
    • /
    • v.56 no.3
    • /
    • pp.22-44
    • /
    • 2023
  • The subsistence economics of the early Bronze Age has focused on explaining the intensity of agricultural practices without sufficiently taking into account the diversity of production methods that may arise from cultural types or environmental factors. The problem appears to stem from paying insufficient attention to the question whether we should understand the transition from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age as continuous or discrete. This has hitherto blocked an avenue to investigate the gradual changes in subsistence resource production methods. Taking as its premise that changes in the production methods of subsistence resources in the Bronze Age have been continuous and gradual, this paper seeks to restore the production patterns of subsistence resources according to the variety of factors that may have influenced the early Bronze Age production method. With diverse cultural patterns and ecological spaces of the early Bronze Age being confirmed, the work of restoring the production methods of subsistence resources in a specific period is difficult to achieve with one or two stand-alone analyses. A more appropriate method would involve separating a number of different aspects related to the production of subsistence resources, analyzing and interpreting each, and in the final stage, synthesizing the analyses. The specific research method employed in this paper checked for compositional differences in stone production tools, functionally categorized according to a variety of factors that have a close relationship with the production of subsistence resources: cultural-environmental factors and cultural patterns, geographical and topographical factors, soil productivity, and size of settlement. The results of the analysis are as follows: for the early Bronze Age production pattern of subsistence resources in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions, while no substantive differences were observed with respect to cultural type, geographical and topographical location, the results show statistically significant differences in the composition of production tools according to settlement size and soil productivity. Also, with an increasing ratio of settlement size and total production soil, increases in hunting and armoring tools, woodworking tools, and harvesting tools were observed; on the other hand, when it came to the ratio of fishing tools, the opposite relationship was observed. While a correlation between settlement size or crop cultivation productivity and dependence on hunting or farming was expected, the results of the regression analysis show that settlement size and soil productivity ratios do not have mutually significant relationships. The results thus illustrate that patterns of production differ according to a variety of factors, and no single factor is decisive in the adoption of subsistence resource production methods by a specific settlement. Therefore, the paper emphasizes the need to investigate the production patterns of subsistence resources according to the variety of cultural and environmental factors that make up settlements in early Bronze Age society.

The Hmong Response to State Intervention in Vietnam's Upland: A case study of a remote hamlet in North Central Vietnam (베트남 산악지역에서의 국가의 간섭과 흐몽족의 대응 - 베트남 북중부의 프론티어 마을을 사례로 -)

  • Le, Quy Ngoc Phuong;Kim, Doo-Chul
    • Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
    • /
    • v.21 no.2
    • /
    • pp.119-138
    • /
    • 2018
  • The Hmong people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Vietnam. They traditionally practice shifting cultivation for their daily subsistence. This group has a traditional governance system as well as strong clan and kinship relationships that occupy an important role in maintaining Hmong culture and livelihoods. The state's approval of the legitimate and statutory law for the Nature Reserve largely excluded local rights of access to and the use of natural resources. This study focusses on Hmong responses to the state interventions of the establishment of the Nature Reserve as well as forest land allocation. Based on Scott's contribution of Moral Economy (1976), the authors argue that local responses function as a 'risk-averter' against state intervention. Meanwhile, the intra and inter-ethnic relationships based on the 'subsistence ethic' help locals successfully mitigate state intervention. These findings help the state rethink their interventions, which have been constructed with very little respect for local differences or the desires of ethnic peoples. Furthermore, the main findings, which reveal that not only the intra-ethnic relationship but also the inter-ethnic relationship among ethnic minorities can play an important role in maintaining the Moral Economy, are expected to deepen the previous understanding on the Moral Economy, which has previously constrained its scope to the intra-ethnic relationship.

Current Status of Fishery Resources in Kenya

  • Ibuuri, Peter Kimathi
    • Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
    • /
    • v.3 no.1
    • /
    • pp.24-30
    • /
    • 2008
  • Fishing in Kenya, until the discovery of Nile perch as an export commodity in the early 1990s, has basically a subsistence occupation for the lake and coastal communities. The government also did not recognize the importance of fisheries as a contributor to the macro-economy and therefore, did not pay much attention in terms of resource allocation for the development of the sector. Most fishing in Kenya is artisanal, with a little industrial fishing by prawn trawlers. The deep sea (EEZ) fishery resources are currently exploited by DWFNs through a licensing system. Only a small quantity of catch from the EEZ is landed in Kenya, primarily tuna loins for processing for export. Currently capture fisheries, mainly from Lake Victoria, earn local fishers over Kenya shillings (K Sh) 7 billion, while exports earn the country K Sh 5 billion (US$ 50 million) in foreign exchange annually. The government has been putting in place an enabling environment to promote investment activities in order to achieve economic recovery as well as for the development and sustainable use of fisheries resources in the country within the specified period. The Department's major roles are to ensure sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources; to promote aquaculture development; to assure quality and safety of fish and fishery products; and to facilitate fish marketing in order to maximize the benefits that can be derived from fisheries. The contribution of fisheries to local incomes, subsistence and food nutrition is significant, as this occurs in areas with the highest incidences of poverty in the country.

  • PDF

Overview of Fisheries Resources in Namibia

  • Endjala, Jason Tshuutheni
    • Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
    • /
    • v.3 no.1
    • /
    • pp.31-37
    • /
    • 2008
  • Off the 1,572 km long coastline of Namibia lies known as the Benguela upwelling system, a very rich source of marine life supporting traditional and modern forms of fishery. Commercial fishing and fish processing is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Namibian economy in terms of employment, export earnings, and contribution to GDP. The fishing industry has grown to the extent that it is currently Namibia's second biggest export earner of foreign currency after mining (90% of national output is marketed for export). In 2005, Namibia harvested about 552,164 tonnes of fish. The final value of processed products (export value) that year was around US$ 376.0 million. Besides the marine captured fisheries, Namibia also has a small but vibrant aquaculture sector. Inland captured fisheries exist in the north-east and north-west of Namibia where as commercial freshwater aquaculture of tilapia and catfish is also undertaken. The inland fisheries are mainly subsistence based and typically labour intensive, with low catch per unit effort. However the subsistence fisheries from these regions play a significant role in the lives of rural community. The domestic market for marine fish products is extremely limited due to the small size of the population (2 million). The fishing industry is a source of considerable employment for many Namibians. Huge potential to increase production exists in Namibia, unpolluted high quality marine waters, high natural primary productivity of the seawater, availability of inexpensive fish by-products from established fish processing sector for inclusion in wet aqua-feeds and well-established processing, packaging and marketing systems due to the marine capture fisheries that can be adopted for aquaculture purpose.

  • PDF

The Commanding Amigo and Its Spirit Embodiment: An Inquiry into the Relationship between Manobo-Visayan Compadrazgo Social Relationship in the "Modern" Manobo Cosmology and Ritual

  • Buenconsejo, Jose S.
    • SUVANNABHUMI
    • /
    • v.6 no.1
    • /
    • pp.161-191
    • /
    • 2014
  • The entry of the logging industry in the once heavily forested riverine middle Agusan Valley where aboriginal Manobos live meant the entry of the material practice of wage labor into this out-of-the-way place. Wage labor converted the once relatively isolated, subsistence animist Manobos into laborers of the expanding capitalist regime. A symptom of modernity, this wage labor also accompanied the coming of Visayan settlers (also loggers paid by wage) who introduced indigenous Manobos the compadrazgo social relationship. This friendly relationship across ethnic identities legitimated social ties and is a social material practice represented in recent bilingual Manobo possession rituals where the Visayan spirit is incarnated along with Manobo spirits. To understand the idea behind spirit embodiment, I explore Manobo ritual as mimesis or poeisis. This representation is shaped by concrete material realities as much as these realities, in turn, are reconfigured by ritual practice. In the older Manobo cosmology, which is based on subsistence economy and dependent on the forest and rivers, individuals have an externalized self (as manifest in the idea of twin soul), in which the inner vital principle is co-extensive with a spirit double in cosmos. Manobos imitate the perceived workings of nature in ritual so as to control them in times of illnesses. In contrast, the mimesis of the Visayan spirit is based on a different political economic set up with its attendant asymmetrical interpersonal relationship. By symbolically representing the Visayan patron as friend, Manobos are able to negotiate the predicament of their subalternity in local modernity.

  • PDF

Policy Study on Korean Retail Micro Business (국제 비교를 통한 소매업 소상공인 현황과 정책적 시사점)

  • Suh, Yong Gu;Kim, Suk Kyung
    • Journal of Distribution Research
    • /
    • v.17 no.5
    • /
    • pp.39-57
    • /
    • 2012
  • The unabated influx of micro businesses has turned the Korean retailing market to a rat race, which causes severe financial distress for micro business owners due to heavy competition. The woes of these micro business owner's are exacerbated by the presence of large scale distributors such as Super Supermarket(SSM) and large discount stores. In summary, the Korean retail market is overburdened an uneconomically viable. Retailing has low barriers to entry which attracts unskilled labor or those with little capital. These start-ups have low opportunity costs since they would make low wages elsewhere in the economy. Thus, these owners are content with relatively low returns on their investment. These 'subsistence ventures' are maintained for economical viability rather than economic growth. These 'subsistence ventures' intensifies competition among small-scale businesses. The presence of large retail corporations also aggravates the situation. The recent stagnation of the economy has worsened the retail market in Korea. The overwhelming competition solidifies the coarse structural system and the prolonged economic sluggishness has increased the risk of insolvency for micro business owners. As the economy continues to stagnate, the imminent risk in retailing market will rise up to surface threatening economic stability. More systematic inflows and outflows of retailers are required in order to redress this structural problem. It has been empirically shown that the self-employment rate is high in Korea compared to other OECD countries. To draw the comparison of self-employment rate by industry, Korea shows high rates among transportation, whole sale, retail, education, lodging, and restaurants. In the case of the transportation and education service sectors, this high rate can be explained by the idiosyncratic nature of Korean culture. In the transportation sector, political policies favor private cap service and private freight carriers. In the education service sector, Koreans put particular emphasis on education that leads to many private institutions that outnumber other OECD countries. For these singular reasons, Korea maintains high micro business, self-employed rates particularly in retailing. A comparable nation is Japan, with its similar social, economic, cultural environment among OECD countries. Unlike Korea, Japan has much lower rates of micro business which continues to decrease. Also Korean retailers are much more destitute than Japanese. The fundamental problem of Korean retailing is the involuntary exit of these 'subsistence ventures,' micro businesses with low margins, in which a small drop in demand can lead to financial difficulties for the owner. This problem will be exacerbated when Korean babyboomers retire and join the micro business ventures. The first priority in order to cope with the severity of oversupply in retailing is to provide better opportunities for the potential self-employers. There should be viable alternatives to subsistent ventures. Strengthening the retirement program, scrutiny of exit process, reconfiguration of policy funds are the recommendations.

  • PDF

Role of NTFPs in Rural Livelihood of Lao PDR

  • Xayvongsa, Lamphoune;Bae, Young-Soo;Choi, Yong-Eui;Yi, Jae-Seon
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
    • /
    • v.25 no.2
    • /
    • pp.85-91
    • /
    • 2009
  • About 83% of the total population of Lao PDR lives in rural areas. People living near forest are highly dependent on the forest resources closed to their villages. Especially non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provide a wide range of subsistence needs and are the main source of their cash income. They also make a significant contribution to the country economy. The annual export value of NTFPs is considerably high. 708 edible NTFP species (238 edible plants and 470 animals) have been recorded so far, and about 400 plants have been reported and used as medicinal plants by Lao people. One hundred NTFP species are considered as commercial forest products. The striking trend in NTFP resources is the decline of some commercial species due to increased demand on them for commercialization, and the loss of forest by rapid population growth. To sustainablely manage the NTFPs resources, a number of new management systems are under development and support in progress by the government.

  • PDF

Conservation and Utilization of Insect Pollinators for Promotion of Agricultural Production in Bangladesh

  • Amin, Md. Ruhul;Hossain, Md. Shamim;Suh, Sang Jae;Kwon, Yong Jung
    • Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
    • /
    • v.32 no.4
    • /
    • pp.171-174
    • /
    • 2014
  • Agriculture in Bangladesh is slowly transforming to the production of high-value fruit and vegetable crops to satisfy the nutrient requirements of their large size population, and this transformation is creating new challenges as regards improving and maintaining the productivity and crop quality. The country has a declining trend of insect pollinators due to habitat loss, land use changes, monoculture-dominated agriculture, and the excessive and indiscriminate use of pesticides. Such pollinator deficiencies can cause reduced yields, thereby threatening the subsistence of marginal farmers. In Bangladesh, growers enjoy free pollination services from the naturally occurring insect populations. While honeybees pollinate mustard, onions, and melons, many other hymenopterans, coleopterans, hemipterans, dipterans, and thysanopterans also visit the crop fields, making these insects significant for the food security, environment, and economy of the nation. Therefore, attention should be given to public policy, research, and human resource development that promotes knowledge and appreciation of the conservation and utilization of insect pollinators.

Poultry industry of Bangladesh: entering a new phase

  • Rahman, Md Shahidur;Jang, Dong-Heon;Yu, Chan-Ju
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
    • /
    • v.44 no.2
    • /
    • pp.272-282
    • /
    • 2017
  • In Bangladesh, since the beginning of 21st century, the poultry industry has become an unparalleled platform for a quick profit, the generation of local employment, and the production of cheaper animal proteins. This paper summarizes poultry industry-related facts and figures for Bangladesh, starting from the very beginnings of this sector when poultry farming was part of subsistence family farming only to today's highly commercialized horizon, through personal experiences, secondary data analysis, spot visits, and the sharing of views and ideas with stakeholders. A critical analysis reveals that the poultry industry in Bangladesh may become multi-dimensional and more stable in the near future as it establishes sufficient backward and forward linkages to input and output supplies. We can foresee its passing the very fast growing juvenile stages of higher net profit earning and less responsible then becoming fully mature. The projected demand and production potentials of this sector are increasing, but at a slower pace than before, in the face of some important challenges like emerging disease, higher prices of inputs, consumer preferences, and strong market competition. However, evidence suggests that the production systems of poultry in Bangladesh are entering a new era to cater to the needs of consumers, society, and government as it produces healthier and more diversified, further-processed foods, in the coming years. A better economy in the country, a more health-conscious population, and the availability of new and affordable innovations in this sector might be the driving forces to support the foreseen transformations.