The phrase "peasant farmers" refers to people who are poor and work on small plots of land to grow crops or raise animals for their own survival and minimal income. Full definition
Some arid regions will turn into deserts and rising seas will inundate fertile but low lying delta regions that are home to tens of millions of peasant farmers in countries such as Bangladesh and Egypt. (climatechangepredictions.org)
It is not surprising therefore that peasant farmers in Brazil, for example, have a staple diet of rice and beans. (religion-online.org)
Well before Mei long turned up, Yixian was well known for its beautifully preserved fossilised fish, insects and turtles, which were — and still are — collected and sold by peasant farmers. (newscientist.com)