From Plow to Precision: How Agriculture Evolved Into a Smarter Future
Long before tractors and software reshaped agriculture, traditional farming methods dominated fields worldwide. These age-old practices, rooted in generations of knowledge, relied on manual labor, natural weather patterns, and organic materials. Farmers often passed techniques down orally, using animals to plow the soil and rotating crops to maintain soil health. While labor-intensive, these approaches aligned closely with local climates and ecological systems, offering sustainability in their own right. Communities thrived through close-knit agricultural cooperation, and the farmer's wisdom was often the most valuable resource. However, as global food demand rose with population growth, the limitations of traditional methods became apparent. Yields fluctuated due to pests, droughts, and soil degradation, which made food security a pressing issue. Without modern tools, farmers couldn’t always predict or adapt to weather changes. Despite these constraints, traditional farming laid...