The event that symbolically began the industrialization of agriculture was the Agricultural Revolution, which began in the late 18th century and extended into the 19th century. This period saw significant advancements in farming techniques, including crop rotation, selective breeding, and the introduction of new machinery such as the seed drill and the threshing machine. These innovations greatly increased crop yields and efficiency, allowing fewer farmers to produce more food. This transformation laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution by facilitating urbanization as surplus agricultural productivity allowed people to move to cities for industrial work, significantly changing the social and economic landscape.