It is believed that the development of agriculture happens in multiple times in multiple areas. Indicating the exact beginnings of agriculture is difficult due to the transition away from hunter-gatherer societies in some places started many years ago before the invention of writing.
Nonetheless, according to archeological evidence, it is found that the history of agriculture begins just after the Younger Dryas (about 9500 BC) in the Fertile Crescent. This is the area of Western Asia which covers the regions of Mesopotamia and the Levant, and is demarcated by the Syrian Desert to the south and the Anatolian Plateau to the north. The famous archeologist J.H. Breasted used the term “Fertile Crescent” in the beginning of 1900s to elucidate the role of this location as the birth place of agriculture. This is also called the “Cradle of Civilization” due to the first appearance of wheel and writing. In this modern world,
Fertile Crescent belongs to some land of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.
Agriculture was invented between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago in the Neolithic era. It is said that there were eight so called founder crops of agriculture occurred more or less concurrently on Pre-pottery Neolithic sites in the Levant. Those crops were emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, peas, lentils, bitter vetch, hulled barley, chick peas, and flax. The Neolithic era ended with the development of metal tools. This era ended with the development of metallic implements.
Sowing and harvesting reached in Mesopotamia and the north of Persian Gulf by 7,000 BC. By 6000 B.C.E. farming was established on the banks of the Nile River where irrigation first appeared. Many groups of people started to dig and repair canal for the regulation of the river flow. As a result they were able to protect and irrigate their crop more or less from yearly flood water and dry season, respectively. At this time, agriculture was practiced independently in the Far East possibly in China where rice was the primary crop instead of wheat. Maize was first cultivated around 3,000-2700 BC in the Americas. The potato, the tomato, the pepper, squash, beans and other plants were cultivated in Andean South America.
People gradually invented advanced metal working techniques for making farm implements during the Bronze Age. They continued domesticating animals and plants for food and other useful products. During the Middle Ages, European farmers started to use dams, reservoirs and water raising machines for the purpose of irrigation. They also developed crop rotation and moldboard plough. These inventions prominently improved the efficiency of agriculture.
British Agricultural Revolution took place in Britain in the 17th century to 19th century. This revolution consisted of new methods of crop rotation, cultivation of marshy or forested land and planting new crops like turnip.
The technology related with agriculture has gradually improved with time. The mechanical combine harvester was invented in the 1830s and the horse-drawn plow turns into machinery in the early 1900s. At this time, seed drill was first introduced by Jethro Tull for sowing seeds in straight rows. The tractor powered by gasoline was introduced in 1892 where as the first tractor was steam powered.
Fertilizer and pesticide technology opened a new scope to increase productivity after 2nd world war. In the 2nd half of 20th century, the development of hybrid seeds especially hybrid corn made a revolution in agriculture.
The history of agriculture has a great impact on human civilization. A relationship has been developed among the cities of different regions which enables people to advance the society and culture. Agriculture has a significant role on the economics throughout the centuries before and after industrial revolution.
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