How the Shift from Human and Animal Labor to Machines Changed Agriculture Since 1800

What is it about?

This paper examines how the sources of physical work in agriculture have changed worldwide since 1800, from human and animal muscle to machines. Using a new global dataset, it analyzes how these changes affected land productivity and labor productivity. The study shows that after 1950, the rapid expansion of machine work increased agricultural output per hectare, but required much more physical work per unit of land.

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Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The results show that higher agricultural productivity has depended on a large increase in energy use per hectare from machines, with diminishing returns over time. This helps explain the growing reliance of modern agriculture on fuel and electricity and suggests that further productivity gains are likely to require even more energy inputs.