AGRICULTURE, HISTORY OF: SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE

Scientific agriculture: the 20th century Agricultural technology has developed more rapidly in the 20th century than in all previous history. Though the most important developments during the first half of this century took place in the industrial countries, especially the United States, the picture has changed somewhat since the 1950s. With the coming of independence, former colonies in Africa and Asia have initiated large-scale efforts to improve their agriculture. In many cases they have used considerable ingenuity in adapting Western methods to their own climates, soils, and crops (see also agricultural technology). Developments in power: the internal-combustion engine The internal-combustion engine brought major changes to agriculture in most of the world. In advanced regions it soon became the chief power source for the farm.