An agricultural-based economy is one that relies on the growth and sales on agricultural products for revenue and subsistence of the people. Examples of agriculture based economies include Florida orange growers, California grape growers, the South American coffee bean growers, etc. When an economy is based on an agricultural commodity such as beef, corn, etc., the economy (and thus the people), would not be able to sustain itself if the growers/producers were not able to generate the crop/livestock. India is rapidly rising in the agricultural arena being the top producers of sugar and bananas. Productions of these products are the basis of the economy in the locals where they are grown. The growing of these crops impacts the the lives of entire cities not just growers. Businesses develop to support the agricultural concern, thus if the agricultural venture fails, everyone is impacted: the grower, the producer, the consumer and all the businesses created to service the agricultural industry.
In modern times agricultural based economies are regional such as the northern California grape growing region, or the Mississippi rice growers, whereas in previous times, some countries entire economy was agricultural based( i.e., the export of crops/livestock/agricultural products). In devloping nations it may still be possible to find a country whose existence is still dependent on an agricultural based economy.