Extensive subsistence agriculture refers to farming systems characterized by relatively low production intensity, limited use of purchased inputs and labor, and a primary orientation toward meeting the food and livelihood needs of farming households. Production generally relies heavily on available land, natural soil fertility, rainfall, and ecological processes rather than intensive applications of fertilizers, pesticides, machinery, or irrigation ^[1][2]. Common forms include shifting cultivation, extensive rainfed cropping, and low-input mixed crop–livestock systems, although their specific practices vary according to local environmental conditions and resource availability ^[1][3]. These systems often involve long fallow periods, dispersed cultivation, seasonal land use, and the integration of crops, livestock, and other livelihood activities. Their productivity per unit of land is generally lower than that of intensive systems, while household consumption accounts for a substantial share of agricultural output ^[2][3]. Ecological conditions, including soil regeneration, vegetation succession, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity, play important roles in sustaining production and determining the long-term viability of these farming systems ^[1][4].