Question
1. Explain 10 agricultural and social changes that occurred during the scientific agricultur era:
Solution
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Xander
Master ยท Tutor for 5 years
Answer
Here are 10 agricultural and social changes that occurred during the Scientific Agriculture era (roughly the mid-19th century onwards):1. **Increased Crop Yields:** Scientific breeding, improved fertilization techniques (like the Haber-Bosch process for nitrogen fixation), and better pest control led to significantly higher yields per acre. This meant more food could be produced with less land and labor.2. **Mechanization of Farming:** The introduction of tractors, combine harvesters, and other machinery replaced human and animal labor for many tasks, increasing efficiency and the scale of farming operations.3. **Development of Synthetic Fertilizers and Pesticides:** These allowed farmers to control nutrient levels in the soil and combat pests more effectively, further boosting yields but also raising environmental concerns over time.4. **Rise of Monoculture Farming:** Focusing on large-scale production of single crops became more common, maximizing efficiency but also increasing vulnerability to pests and diseases.5. **Growth of Agribusiness:** Farming became increasingly industrialized and consolidated, with larger farms and corporations dominating the sector.6. **Rural-to-Urban Migration:** As mechanization reduced the need for farm labor, people moved from rural areas to cities in search of work, leading to urbanization and changes in social structures.7. **Increased Food Availability and Lower Prices:** Higher yields and more efficient production generally led to greater food availability and lower food prices for consumers, particularly in developed countries.8. **Specialization and Global Trade:** Regions began to specialize in producing certain crops, leading to increased international trade in agricultural products.9. **Environmental Impacts:** Intensive farming practices led to environmental problems like soil erosion, water pollution from pesticide and fertilizer runoff, and biodiversity loss.10. **Changing Diets:** Increased food availability and lower prices, combined with changes in food processing and distribution, led to shifts in dietary patterns, including increased consumption of processed foods.