A Brief History of Agriculture

The history of humankind is inextricably linked with the agricultural exploitation of natural resources. This still forms the basis of human life today. What began locally has expanded into a global system of agribusiness and international markets in agricultural products. Food procurement processes have shaped not only diets but also social interaction. While significant progress has been made in ongoing efforts to increase productivity, these advances have always been accompanied by undesirable side effects. Looking at the fast-motion developments helps to understand an agricultural economic system whose driving forces have perfected the exploitative use of natural resources. At the same time, the historical retrospective reveals the challenges facing current decision-makers when steering the agricultural economy away from a course that threatens to destroy its livelihoods.