To Wheat, or not to Eat...

Wheat domestication or for that matter any crop cultivation has brought about radical changes in the fate of humanity. People started farming, for farming they reared animals and livestock, in turn animals also provided the humans with their by-products like- wool, cow dung, milk, and so on. Thus the human community, grew and the way of living took an altogether different route, a different gear when compared to the sapiens who used to forage and hunt in the wild.

One sunny and pleasant afternoon in a wheat field.

Mostly in Indian households, Wheat 'Roti/Chapati' (see Fig 1.) is the go-to food. One afternoon during lunch time, as usual I was eating Roti.. then a thought struck me. It was- "If not Wheat then what?". I asked my mother about it and she suggested some other alternatives like- Bajra, Nachni, etc (Other food grains).

Fig 1. Roti or Chapati.

For cultivating wheat/ any other crop we need land. So, humans cleared up lands which previously held immense flora and fauna unique to that place. The technique called 'Slash and Burn agriculture' excels in the purpose. The selfish gene triumphs! 

While farming, every farmer's problem after scarcity of water are pests, insects feasting and destroying the crops. It's like we humans create these problems ourselves. We confiscate their land, then when they do the one task i.e eat on their land we spray pesticides to kill them! Sigh!

On the contrary, without agriculture we would not be able to make it this far.  Crop domestication and agriculture in some or the other way have been the reason to all the modern day luxuries and inventions.

Is wheat to be blamed? Is agriculture the culprit or the merit?