We live in a world where agricultural practices are very advanced. However, we started with collecting wild grains more than 10,50,00 years ago and then planting them around 11,500 years ago. A lot went between when nascent farmers began gathering seeds and when modern farmers started using ultra-modern technologies to cultivate their lands.
The Atlantic came up with a panel of eminent figures who compiled a list of 50 innovations which have been most important to the agricultural sector. In this blog post, we tell you about 6 of these great breakthroughs in agriculture that changed the world.
Nitrogen Fixation
The German chemist Fritz Haber, who is also known as the father of chemical weapons, won a Nobel Prize for developing an ammonia synthesis process. This process was used to create fertilizers which ultimately led to the green revolution. This brings us to the second breakthrough.
The Green Revolution
The fertilizers development in the early twentieth century combined with scientific plant breeding methods led to a huge increase in world's food output. The world remembers this landmark turn as the green revolution. Norman Borlaug, the man behind the green revolution, was an agricultural economist who saved 1 billion people from hunger and starvation.
Gregor Mendel’s Work On Genetics
Gregor Mendel, who is also known as the father of genetics, discovered how plant breeding and human genetics works. It was he who deserves the credit for the development of hundreds of high yielding varieties which were made possible only by his research.
The Combine Harvester
The combine harvester has become very essential to farming. However, what we do not realize is the fact that it wasn't always there. Before its invention, farmers had to perform a number of tasks manually. Its invention ensured that more and more hands were free to do other kinds of work.
Archimedes' Screw
We have water pumps today which can give off litres and litres of water in a single minute. The first ever water pump was made by Archimedes. The Greek scientist is said to have designed a rotating corkscrew which could push water up a tube. It completely changed the way irrigation was done and it still remains in use in sewage treatment plants.
Refrigeration
Refrigeration changed the way food was stored and used forever. One cannot even imagine the difficulties faced in storing food by people who lived in a world where refrigeration was not yet discovered. Its discovery transformed food transport, food safety, and food preservation.
