Revolutionizing Agriculture: How Technology has Tripled Farm Output and Boosted Efficiency

Agricultural productivity has seen significant growth thanks to advancements in technology. From genetic innovations for animals and crops to new equipment, chemicals, and farm organization techniques, technology has played a critical role in boosting total agricultural output. Between 1948 and 2021, total agricultural output nearly tripled while the use of inputs in farming slightly decreased over time.

Total factor productivity (TFP) is an important measure of agricultural efficiency, indicating how well inputs like labor, capital, and intermediate inputs are transformed into outputs. Positive changes in TFP indicate enhanced efficiency in agriculture production methods. TFP can also be viewed as an indicator of technical change within the agricultural sector. While short-term factors like adverse weather conditions can impact total output growth and TFP estimates, overall advancements in technology have been key drivers in increasing agricultural productivity.

Sabrina Halvorson, a renowned journalist and broadcaster specializing in agriculture, discusses the role of new technology in boosting agricultural productivity on her program “This Land of Ours.”