Which agricultural practice involves growing domestic crops in small gardens using hand tools?

Horticulture is a form of agriculture characterized by the cultivation of crops in small gardens, often using simple hand tools rather than machinery. This practice allows for the growing of a variety of domestic plants, and it typically supports smaller communities or households rather than large-scale production.

In horticultural systems, the focus is often on diverse plant varieties that are grown for subsistence, utilizing techniques such as companion planting and crop rotation. This type of agriculture emphasizes intensive, small-scale cultivation, where the hands-on approach allows for a close relationship between the growers and their produce. Horticulture can be particularly sustainable and can work in harmony with local ecosystems, adjusting practices based on environmental factors.

This contrasts with intensive agriculture, which relies on more advanced technology and large-scale farming methods, often involving monocultures and heavy inputs. Pastoralism, on the other hand, focuses primarily on the herding and breeding of livestock rather than the cultivation of plants. Foraging involves gathering wild plants and hunting animals, not the active cultivation or domestic growth of crops in gardens.