Author: Preethika Arunkumar

From the development of domesticated crops and the plow to genome editing, agriculture has gone through several changes through major improvements in technology. Many modern agricultural technologies stemmed from the Green Revolution, which occurred in the 1940s to 1960s. This greatly increased the carrying capacity of the land, allowing plants to thrive with irrigation and crop-management technology. In 1974, Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, was released, allowing homeowners to control weeds along sidewalks, driveways, gardens, and fences. The first genetically modified plant was developed in 1982, resulting in the production of plants that were resistant to insects and viruses. More recently, technology has developed rapidly, with the advent of AI technology and digital learning. These improvements have greatly benefited society, but they do not come without a great cost to our environment.

Irrigation is the process of redirecting water for a specific purpose, often for agricultural use. This agricultural method is extremely important in ensuring that crops have enough water to grow healthy and produce an adequate yield. However, irrigation has large effects on the surrounding environment. As stated in WorldAtlas, some direct impacts of irrigation are decreased water flow in streams, increased evaporation in irrigated areas, and an increase in rainfall levels downwind of the irrigation. Several indirect effects exist as well, including waterlogging and soil salinization. Think about it like this: imagine being drowned in the ocean, suffocating in the water, surrounded by salt. This is similar to what plants experience when they are faced with these effects of irrigation.

However, the potential for ecological damage is the most dangerous of the impacts of irrigation. Wetlands and flood forest ecosystems may degrade as more water is drawn away from the lakes, streams, and ponds that support these unique environments. A variety of wildlife habitats are destroyed due to coastal erosion, which occurs when less water finds its way into the ocean, damaging fragile ecosystems such as mangrove swamps.

According to Princeton University’s Environmental Institute, the amount of agricultural land is projected to extend from between 590 million to 1.1 billion acres, but may increase to as much as 4.4 billion acres. This is due to the fact that population growth is often underestimated, and we confidently assume how much land and water will be available for agriculture without having to find new resources. Currently, irrigation is responsible for about 70% of freshwater withdrawals in the world. Along with this, only half of the water used for irrigation can be reused, whereas 90% of water used for industrial and residential purposes may be reused. Furthermore, land taken for irrigation may extend into natural ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and diminishing water supplies.

Pesticides and fertilizers aid plant growth by reducing pests and providing nutrients, but they also contaminate soil, water, and vegetation. The U.S. Geological Survey found that more than 90% of water and fish samples in streams contained at least one pesticide, often in concentrations above safety guidelines. Pesticides can also harm birds, fish, and beneficial insects. One notorious example is DDT, a powerful insecticide developed in 1939. Though effective at killing insects, DDT disrupted ecosystems. Nature writer Edwin Way Teale warned, “a spray as indiscriminate as DDT can upset the economy of nature as much as a revolution upsets social economy.”

Rachel Carson, one of the earliest environmental activists, brought these concerns to the public’s attention with her book Silent Spring. She began writing after learning about bird deaths caused by DDT. The book explained how DDT accumulates in living tissues, causing genetic damage, cancer, and long-term environmental harm. Her opening chapter, “A Fable for Tomorrow,” portrayed a town silenced by the consequences of chemical spraying, warning, “No witchcraft, no enemy action had silenced the rebirth of new life in this stricken world. The people had done it themselves.”

Her book alarmed readers and provoked backlash from chemical companies. Monsanto parodied her work with “The Desolate Year,” predicting devastation if pesticides were banned. Executives publicly attacked Carson’s credibility. Despite the opposition, her work gained the support of scientists and policymakers—including President John F. Kennedy—and eventually led to a U.S. ban on DDT.

Despite agricultural productivity doubling since the Green Revolution, environmental costs have risen. Agriculture contributes one-fifth of global greenhouse gases—more than transportation. It generates half of all methane and three-quarters of nitrous oxide emissions. Land-use changes account for 14% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide, 10% of which is directly from agriculture. Although organic farming is often seen as eco-friendly, it uses more land per unit of food, potentially increasing emissions. A study from the Chalmers Institute of Technology showed that converting all of England and Wales to organic farming would reduce emissions per unit—but also reduce yields by 40%, forcing imports that could increase overall emissions by 21%.

Global climate goals, like those in the Paris Agreement, have driven more focus on reducing agricultural emissions. The agreement aims to keep warming below 2°C, ideally under 1.5°C. If agricultural practices can be changed to align with these goals, the planet would see tremendous benefits.

Reducing environmental damage from agriculture may feel overwhelming, especially because abandoning technology would jeopardize food supplies. But awareness is the first step. While we can't eliminate pesticide use on massive farms, individuals can make small changes—using natural repellents like neem oil, peppermint, rosemary oil, and diatomaceous earth in home gardens. If everyone took part, we could collectively reduce agriculture's burden on the Earth and preserve it for generations to come.

Works Cited

• Aktar, Wasim, et al. “Impact of Pesticides Use in Agriculture: Their Benefits and Hazards.” Interdisciplinary Toxicology, vol. 2, no. 1, Mar. 2009. PMC Article
• Bayer. “How Has Technology Changed Farming?” Bayer.com, 2020.
• Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Penguin Books, 1962. PDF
• Kelly, Morgan. “Expansion, Environmental Impacts of Irrigation by 2050 Greatly Underestimated.” Princeton University, 2020.
• Lynch, John, et al. “Agriculture’s Contribution to Climate Change...” Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2021.
• NRDC. “The Story of Silent Spring.” NRDC, 2015.
• Pariona, Amber. “What Is the Environmental Impact of Irrigation?” WorldAtlas, 2017.
• Temple, James. “Sorry—Organic Farming Is Actually Worse for Climate Change.” MIT Technology Review, 2019.
• “U.S. Geological Survey Finds Mixtures of Pesticides...” Beyond Pesticides, 2020.