Final answer:
The practice of agriculture spread from its points of independent origin through migration, trade, and the exchange of knowledge. As agriculture evolved, new techniques increased food production efficiency, allowing agricultural practices to be adopted in neighboring regions and further afield.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of agriculture and farming spread along various paths following its initial emergence in distinct regions. It began with rudimentary technologies, like using a pointed stick to cultivate the soil.
The real transformation came when agriculture techniques developed and allowed for the domestication of plants and animals, significantly changing human societies.
The spread can be attributed to several factors such as migration, trade, and the sharing of knowledge between cultures.
Agriculture likely began with the intentional selection and cultivation of certain plants by hunter-gatherers. This process evolved into more systematic farming when people settled and began planting seeds, leading to the domestication of plants.
Areas such as southwestern Asia, southeastern Asia, and middle America saw the independent rise of early agriculture around 12,000 years ago. From these points, the knowledge and practices of farming spread to neighboring regions.
As people began to lead sedentary lifestyles, they developed new techniques to increase food production efficiency, which allowed some members of the community to pursue other occupations.
This led to advancements in farming equipment, like plows, and the development of storage, processing, and transportation systems for excess crops.
Through migration and trade, these innovations and skills were disseminated, leading to the widespread adoption of agriculture across the globe.