subsistence
noun [ U ]
ECONOMICS /səbˈsɪstəns/ ukusthe state of having what you need in order to stay alive, but no more:
Many people in the town feed their families by subsistence, an economic lifestyle characterized by living off the land.
Agricultural production is below subsistence level, leaving many dependent on emergency aid.
Many migrant workers are employed at little more than subsistence wages.
Maize is the national subsistence food in parts of South Africa.