Changes

We think of agriculture and plant domestication as an old technology or development. However, as earlier waves of development have shown, with population increase, new needs arise. Over the last two hundred years, human population has grown at unprecedented scales, as modern medicine, another innovation made possible by agriculture, has allowed people to live much longer. The now much higher populations globally led to the drive in the 1960s to develop new types of fertilizers and hybrid and genetically modified plants. The so-called "Green Revolution" was one development that has led to increased productivity. However, just like the innovation of agriculture had negative effects on the environment, Green Revolution fertilizers and production have led to increased water and air pollution. Some of the productivity by Green Revolution innovations have also not proven to be as sustainable, leading to collapses in productivity or an inability by poorer farmers to maintain the high costs associated with agriculture, in particular the need for petroleum and fertilizers.<ref>For more on the Green Revolution, see: Lowe, B. (2009). <i>Green revolution: coming together to care for creation.</i> Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Books.</ref>

Genetically modified plants are also another recent development. These have become controversial in places because it is not clear what the long-term impact of these plants might be. Many such modified plants have similar or the same genes. This potentially makes domesticated crops susceptible to plant disease that can kill many plants. If genetics are similar, and there is a lack of genetic diversity, then hunger could be a result of a major crop-killing disease.<ref>For more on genetically modified foods, see: Roller, S., & Harlander, S. (1998). <i>Genetic Modification in the Food Industry: a Strategy for Food Quality Improvement.</i> Boston, MA: Springer US.</ref>