Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
facture of synthetic fertilizers feasible and profitable. Research on chemical
weapons helped in the development of synthetic pesticides. Advances in
plant breeding led to the creation of high-yielding hybrid crops that flour-
ished in heavily fertilized monocultures.
In 1945, the Mexican government began research and educational pro-
grams directed at becoming self-sufficient in food production in the face of
a rapidly growing population. These efforts, funded largely by U.S. philan-
thropic organizations, were highly successful. Within 11 years, Mexico was
self-sufficient in wheat production; 8 years later they were a significant
wheat exporter. Government and agricultural industry policies and goals em-
phasized developing hybrid crop varieties, synthetic pesticides, and fertil-
izers, and increasing mechanization. These practices rapidly spread around
the world, fueling what came to be called the “green revolution.”
Many people benefited from the green revolution, particularly those in
less developed countries, where populations were rising rapidly and hunger
was all too common. In developed countries, modern agricultural practices
spurred enormous economic growth. With fewer farmers and farm workers
required to feed the population, people were able to pursue education, vo-
cational training, and business opportunities. Huge agribusinesses and food
companies thrived, spurring more employment and wealth.
A few voices of warning could be heard, however, against the onrush of
agricultural development. In the early 1900s, soil scientist Franklin H. King
emphasized the impacts of soil chemistry on fertility and crop yields and
wrote about traditional Oriental farming practices that had produced sus-
tainable crops for millennia. From 1909 to 1924, Sir Albert Howard (some-
times called the father of organic farming) served as a British agricultur-
al advisor in India. Although he went to India to teach modern agricultural
methods, he came to appreciate and improve upon traditional Indian agricul-
tural practices, such as composting. His 1940 book,
An Agricultural Testa-
ment
, served as an early organic agricultural text.
