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How did settled farming contribute to population growth?

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Farm in Saskatchewan — Origins of agriculture Harvesting wheat on a farm in the grain belt near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. A potash mine appears in the distant background.

Settled farming contributed to population growth primarily by providing a more substantial, reliable, and secure food source compared to the uncertainties of hunting and gathering. By transitioning to sedentary agriculture, societies could invest more labor and technology into crop production, which increased overall productivity.12

As agricultural skills improved, societies were able to decrease the risk of famine, which had previously been a major factor in mortality. The development of sophisticated food storage techniques, such as granaries and pit silos, further ensured that food supplies lasted through lean periods. Additionally, in regions where irrigation was developed, crop yields increased significantly, which in turn supported larger populations by providing the labor necessary to maintain and expand those irrigation projects.13

While population growth was a consequence of these advancements, it also acted as a driver for further change; the "population growth hypothesis" suggests that as regional populations rose, groups lived in closer proximity, making it increasingly difficult to move freely without encountering neighboring communities, thereby reinforcing the shift toward sedentary life.45