The pandemics just added poison to the wounds. With the global economy taking a hit, many people losing their jobs, and businesses forced to shut down, the scenario in the next few years seems grim. In such a situation, it's essential to learn from those who have coped well with the financial stress and made it to the other side, at least covering basic needs during hard times. 

This is something we should deliberate on a little bit. 

What exactly are "necessities"?
If someone works his backside off for a decade or more, to get a high-end education and feels he/she needs and deserves a yacht, a one-million-dollar McMansion, and a Maserati with custom paint, so be it. For the remaining 95 %ers, our "necessities" are surely much more humble and achievable. We would prefer function over form, for starters. 

I've seen this a lot. I witnessed very close this case: a hard-working, but uneducated laborer who works in a kitchen cabinet manufacturing company and whose largest aspirations are a Chinese 150cc motorcycle and an iPhone. But his two kids don't even go to school.

Sadly, this article is not universal. Maybe city dwellers probably won't find it as useful as those already owning a patch of land to grow some stuff if things go South. But keep reading nevertheless: the information should encourage you to keep pursuing a patch of productive land to suit your needs.