Final answer:
Agriculture originated independently at different times during the Neolithic era, starting in the Middle East around 11,000 years ago and later in other regions such as India, China, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Americas.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agriculture was developed independently in several regions of the world at different times during the Neolithic era, also known as the New Stone Age. Archaeological evidence indicates that agriculture first began in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East around 11,000-10,000 years ago. The valleys of the Indus, Yangtze, and Yellow rivers in India and China followed, with agriculture emerging between 10,000 and 9,000 years ago. Additionally, agriculture arose independently in different regions including sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and New Guinea, varying from 9,000 to 3,000 years ago.
These early Agricultural Revolutions marked the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to settled farming communities, leading to the creation of the first true economies. This shift allowed for the domestication of plants and animals, with different regions developing distinctive farming practices based on the particular crops and livestock that were available.