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How did farm machinery affect the number of farm workers in developed countries?

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A green cotton combine harvests a field of mature cotton plants, with white cotton bolls visible across the landscape. — Agricultural technology Cotton combine harvesting a cotton field.

In developed countries, the introduction and widespread adoption of farm machinery have led to a steady decline in the number of farm workers throughout the 20th century.1

This trend is a core component of modernization and economic development. As agriculture becomes mechanized, mechanical power is substituted for human and animal labor, significantly increasing output per worker. This surge in productivity renders a large portion of the rural labor force superfluous, facilitating a "sectoral transformation" where workers shift from the primary agricultural sector into manufacturing and service industries.2134

Ultimately, because modern agricultural technology—including machinery, fertilizers, and herbicides—allows for greater production per hour of work and per unit of land, the total requirement for human labor in farming decreases even as overall food production increases.214