The five adaptive strategies are a concept within cultural anthropology that describe the different ways societies transform environmental and social conditions into economic opportunities. These strategies were introduced by Yehudi Cohen in his theory on the adaptive processes of societies. They include foraging, horticulture, agriculture, pastoralism, and industrialism.
Foraging, also known as hunting and gathering, is one of the oldest survival strategies where people rely on wild plants and animals for food. Foragers often have to move frequently to follow the availability of resources since they consume what nature provides without actively cultivating or domesticating food sources.
Horticulture refers to the small-scale cultivation of crops in small gardens using simple tools such as digging sticks or hoes. This strategy doesn’t involve intensive farming technologies or continuous use of the same plot of land; consequently, horticulturists often practice slash-and-burn techniques or allow land to fallow and regenerate.
Agriculture is a more intensive farming strategy that involves continuous cultivation of domesticated plants and animals over an extended period on the same land parcel. It is characterized by the use of plows, irrigation, terracing, and other technologies to yield high amounts of food surplus which support larger populations.
Pastoralism revolves around the breeding and herding of domesticated animals for food, clothing, and transportation. Pastoralists are often nomadic or semi-nomadic as they move their livestock from pasture to pasture in search of better grazing grounds and water sources.
Industrialism is the most recent adaptation strategy where production extends beyond agriculture into a wide range of manufactured goods and services. It relies on complex machinery powered by fossil fuels or electricity and a sophisticated division of labor within the workforce which results in high efficiency and large-scale production.
Together, these five adaptive strategies represent various ways human societies have developed to subsist within their specific environments while creating cultural norms and economic structures that reflect their relationship with nature.
