In which region is intensive subsistence agriculture with wet-rice farming most common?

• A. Sub-Saharan Africa
• B. Northern Europe
• C. Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia (tropics) where double-cropping and paddies are common
• D. Western North America

Answer: (C)

Intensive subsistence farming with wet-rice cultivation thrives where warm temperatures meet abundant, reliable rainfall that allows fields to be flooded and cropped repeatedly. Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia in the tropics fit this perfectly: the monsoon climate provides heavy rains that fill paddies, and small, labor-intensive farms mange double-cropping on terraced or flat fields. Rice becomes the staple crop, and the landscape is organized around maintaining flooded fields, irrigation, and continuous cultivation.

Nearby regions don’t fit as well: Sub-Saharan Africa has diverse farming systems and rainfall patterns that don’t hinge on flooded rice paddies as a dominant practice; Northern Europe’s cooler, drier climate supports different crops and farming methods; Western North America emphasizes large-scale, commercial crops rather than the labor-intensive paddies characteristic of wet-rice systems.