By fueling population growth the agricultural revolution was the most important event leading to the dominion of our species over the earth. This growth accelerated, slowly at first, then explosively (doubling in less than 35 years) in the past 200 years. The impact on planet earth has been nothing short of biblical.

As natural habitat is converted to agriculture, complex ecosystems are replaced by species-poor farms and ranches. An estimated 25% or more of temperate forests and grasslands have been lost to agriculture worldwide. And more than half of all tropical rain forests, containing nearly 50% of earth's terrestrial biodiversity, have been cleared for agriculture and other human activities. The number of cattle in the Amazon region increased from 25 to 55 million in the last 10 years. And palm oil plantations have the very real potential to wipe out all of the rain forests of Indonesia and Southeast Asia in the next 20 years. To fly over what was recently "Wild Borneo" and witness the vast palm oil monoculture, extending to the horizon in all directions, is to truly grasp man's transformative powers. Palm oil is found in many of the products in a modern supermarket, including margarine, soap, pizza, and ice cream, to name a few. Its "usefullness" is predicted to increase over time.

 

Rice feeds more people on planet earth than any other food. In many parts of Asia it is eaten at every meal. (Next photo)