Taking root around 12 000 years ago, agriculture triggered such a change in society and the way in which people lived that its development has been dubbed the “Neolithic Revolution.” Traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles, followed by humans since their evolution, were swept aside in favor of permanent settlements and a reliable food supply. Out of agriculture, cities and civilizations grew, and because crops and animals could now be farmed to meet demand, the global population rocketed—from some five million people 10 000 years ago, to more than seven billion today.

There was no single factor, or combination of factors, that led people to take up farming in different parts of the world. In the Near East, for example, it’s thought that climatic changes at the end of the last ice age brought seasonal conditions that favoured annual plants like wild cereals. Elsewhere, such as in East Asia, increased pressure on natural food resources may have forced people to find homegrown solutions. But whatever the reasons for its independent origins, farming sowed the seeds for the modern age.

Look at the map below, which shows four areas where agriculture developed and explains unique characteristics of each and the benefits that agriculture allowed for. You can open the image in a new tab(right click>open in new tab) to get a larger view. You might notice that all of these areas are river valleys. What else do they have in common?

Map from Ancient River Valley Civilizations - https://ancientrivervalleycivilizations.weebly.com/uploads/6/7/8/8/6788061/1566892_orig.jpg?373

Text in this section from National Geographic - Genographic Project - The Development of Agriculture

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/development-of-agriculture/