Is Agriculture a Mistake? - Essay Sample

Introduction

The topic of agriculture has elicited mixed reactions from people across the world. While some individuals believe that it was the greatest thing to ever happened, some people have refuted this claim by giving various reasons why they believe its discovery was a disaster. For instance, Jared Diamond has been a strong opponent of agriculture. He postulated a theory that denounced the importance that agriculture had on human beings' lives after its discovery. He believed that instead of it meeting its intended purpose of improving human life, it brought several negative effects that have been detrimental to human beings. For this reason, he equates agriculture to the greatest blunder that human beings ever made in their history. Surprisingly, Diamond's theory on agriculture has since been supported by various studies. Diamond's theory, fails to elucidate overwhelming advantages over the disadvantages of agriculture.

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The first mistake that is associated with the discovery of agriculture is a limited diet. Outhwaite (1986) backed Diamond's claim by analyzing agriculture. He noted that before agriculture, human beings had a mixed and healthy diet. This diet consisted of a plethora of foods like vegetables, berries, meat, and so on. This supports Diamond's theory that before agriculture, hunters and gatherers would take food reach in protein and calories, unlike farmers who concentrated on not only growing high-carbohydrate rich food but also consumed them. This implies that the wide variety of food options ended the moment humans discovered agriculture. Instead of eating a balanced meal, they ended up consuming a diet basically consisting of grains like barley and wheat. Consequently, most children developed malnutrition diseases like marasmus and kwashiorkor because they would take in meals that are deficient of nutrients. Another problem associated with agriculture is uncertainties due to crop diseases, flooding, and pests. Outhwaite (1986) explained that insect infestations and crop diseases made people more vulnerable to famine due to low or no harvest. The ramification for this was a lack of food to sustain human life and thereby starvations and deaths.

Agriculture has also majorly contributed to the extinction of some species on the planet. Geiger et al. (2010) elucidate that with the invasion of pests and diseases of crops, humans developed agro-chemicals to kill these pets and control diseases. These chemicals affect soil pH that supports various species. Imperatively, they increase the acidity of soil and thereby making it unfavorable for certain plant and animal species to survive. The implication for this is that these species become endangered and consequently extinct from the face of the planet. Agriculture has also resulted in enlarged farms and landscape loss. Just like agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers, agricultural intensification has led to the loss of natural habitats for certain plants and animals (Geiger et al., 2010). Thus, there has been a massive loss of biodiversity in areas that large tracts of land have been used for agriculture.

I disagree with Diamond's theory that agriculture was a bad mistake that ever happened to humanity since it was a masterpiece discovery that has revolutionized the world. For example, it has facilitated the mass production of food that sustains the world's growing population. This ended the need to scan the forest every day in search of wild animals and fruits. Additionally, it has created employment opportunities for the rural population who work on farms. The surplus production has also been sold for cash which has been used to improve the socio-economic welfare of people, particularly in rural areas. Moreover, agriculture enabled people to stay together in one place, which made life easier and consequently led to societal and technological development. Noteworthy, staying in one place was vital in their security for they avoided moving through thick and dangerous forests in search of wild fruits and animals. The discovery of agriculture was also important since it later led to the industrial revolution. Notably, the industrial revolution led to globalization which has been crucial in facilitating international integration and trade between countries and continents.

Conclusion

In general, even though the discovery of agriculture brought negative ramifications to human beings and the entire planet, its positive effects cannot be ignored. Agriculture will remain to be among the best discoveries that human beings ever made. It led to the civilization and industrial revolution in the world. It also promoted food security as mass production would be carried out and the yield stored for future needs. It also enhanced the physical security of human beings as agriculture enabled them to stay together while looking after their crops and domesticated animals. However, it is also to consider Diamond's view since agriculture has also had negative repercussions on human beings and their surrounding environment. Some of these undesirable effects include pollution, loss of biodiversity, and so on. In this regard, although people should be celebrating the discovery of agriculture, they should not forget to develop strategies that avert its negative ramifications. Typically, governments should pass stringent regulations that illegalize the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides. Instead, they should encourage organic farming which is environmentally safe.

References

Geiger, F., Bengtsson, J., Berendse, F., Weisser, W. W., Emmerson, M., Morales, M. B., ... & Eggers, S. (2010). Persistent negative effects of pesticides on biodiversity and biological control potential on European farmland. Basic and Applied Ecology, 11(2), 97-105. DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2009.12.001

Outhwaite, R. B. (1986). Progress and Backwardness in English Agriculture, 1500-1650. Economic History Review, 39(1), 1-18. DOI: 10.2307/2596098