Hunting and Gathering
Hunting and gathering are the earliest forms of economic activities that sustain humankind through direct interaction with the environment. Early human societies relied primarily on hunting wild animals and gathering edible plants for food, shelter, and clothing. These activities were essential in various climatic regions, with hunting being prevalent in extreme weather conditions.
In coastal areas, fishing remains a necessary subsistence activity, albeit modernized by advancements in technology. The introduction of tools for hunting allowed early humans to survive, but with over-exploitation, many species became endangered due to illegal hunting practices, necessitating regulations like bans on hunting in certain areas, such as India.
Gathering takes on forms suited to harsh environments, requiring minimal investment and low technology, often involving primitive societies. The yield per person is low, and there's typically no surplus production, though in modern settings, some gathering has shifted to commercial ventures where gatherers sell valuable plants like medicinal herbs.
The section emphasizes the transformation of gathering and hunting from subsistence practices to more modern, regulated forms of resource extraction and highlights the sustainability issues surrounding these age-old economic activities.