There are many aspects and activities that make life on Earth possible. One thing that separates humans from all the other animals is our social organization and societies. Humans have lived in societies for several thousand years. One of the most important discoveries in the history of humankind is the discovery of agriculture. In this article I’ll discuss the most important factors regarding agriculture and farming, and why it is literally the backbone of modern society, and why without it we, as humans, would no be able to exist in such large numbers.

The first and most obvious reason is that farming provides food. But not just for a small group of people. Farms all over the world exist to provide food for people all over the world. Japanese eat sugar grown in Australia. Asians eat rice grown in America. Europeans eat bananas grown in south America. Without large scale farming with an international end user in mind, the global economy would quickly collapse. The United Kingdom has consumed more food that it has produced for hundreds of year, and remains one of the most prosperous nations on Earth.

The second reason farming is so important is with the development of bio fuels. As the world’s oil supply begins to decrease, we obviously need to find another source of energy to run our societies. Ethanol, a form of fuel made from corn and other grains, may be the answer. Large scale farming may save us from ecological disaster as well, as corn based ethanol may significantly reduce carbon emissions.

Another important aspect of farming is research and development. Many believe that with a certain size of dirt, there’s so much food you can grow. But as the world’s population continues to grow, innovative farmers are finding more efficient ways to increase the yield from the same land. Over the past hundred years, the yield per acre has increased significantly, as farming technology has increased to support a fast growing population.

Finally, farming is an important part of many counties economy. Free trade is the backbone of any countries chance at prosperity, and so long as there is a consumer somewhere in the world, countries can prosper. For example, if a country can only grow sweet potatoes, they can sell them on the open market, and use the money to buy the food that they need. They aren’t stuck eating only sweet potatoes.

In short, farming is a fundamental yet incredible aspect of the global economy. It keeps countries prosperous, it keeps people fed, and it may well end our dependence on fossil fuels sometime in the future.