The
history of agriculture has been shaped by technological advances. Agricultural technology dates back thousands of years. Historians have described a number of
agricultural revolutions, which identify major shifts in agricultural practice and productivity. These revolutions have been closely connected to technological improvements.
Neolithic to Bronze Age Around 10,000 years ago, the
Neolithic Revolution catalyzed an epochal transformation. Humanity transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to stable agricultural communities. This transition bore witness to the domestication of vital plants and animals, including wheat, barley, and livestock, fundamentally altering the agricultural landscape. The surplus food production that ensued fueled population growth and laid the cornerstone for nascent civilizations.
Irrigation technology was developed independently by a number of different cultures, with the earliest known examples dated to the 6th millennium BCE in
Khuzistan in the south-west of present-day
Iran. The
ancient Egyptian use of the
Nile River's flooding, marked another significant advancement.
Classical period The
Roman era ushered in notable contributions to agricultural technology. The Romans introduced innovative implements, such as the Roman plough, a notable refinement in soil cultivation. In tandem, they compiled comprehensive agricultural manuals like "
De Re Rustica," serving as invaluable records of contemporary farming techniques.
Middle Ages The
Middle Ages bequeathed
significant agricultural progress. Concepts like
crop rotation and the
three-field system enhanced soil fertility and crop yields, while the introduction of the
heavy plow, driven by draft animals, facilitated the cultivation of previously uncultivated lands.
Industrial Revolution A major turning point for agricultural technology is the
Industrial Revolution, which introduced
agricultural machinery to mechanise agricultural labour, greatly increasing farm worker productivity. Revolutionary inventions like the seed drill, mechanical reaper, and steam-powered tractors reshaped the farming landscape. This period also witnessed the establishment of agricultural societies and colleges dedicated to advancing farming methodologies. In modern
mechanised agriculture powered machinery has replaced many farm jobs formerly carried out by manual labour or by working animals such as oxen, horses and mules. Advances in the 19th century included the development of modern
weather forecasting and invention of
barbed wire. Improvement to
portable engines and
threshing machines led to their widespread adoption.
Guano became a popular fertilizer in the 1800s and was widely extracted for this purpose. Guano use rapidly declined after 1910 with the development of the
Haber–Bosch process for extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere.
20th century The 20th century saw major advances in agricultural technologies, including the development of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and new agricultural machinery such as
mass-produced tractors and
agricultural aircraft for
aerial application of pesticides. More recent advances have included
agricultural plastics,
genetically modified crops, improved
drip irrigation,
integrated pest management, and soilless farming techniques such as
hydroponics,
aquaponics, and
aeroponics.
21st century In the first decades of the 21st century,
Information Age technologies have been increasingly applied to agriculture.
Agricultural robots,
agricultural drones and
driverless tractors have found regular use on farms, while
digital agriculture and
precision agriculture make use of extensive
data collection and computation to improve farm efficiency. == List of Agtech hubs ==