What were the Sumerian achievements in agriculture and irrigation?

The Sumerians, who inhabited the southern region of Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BCE, were pioneers in the field of agriculture and irrigation. Their innovations in agriculture and irrigation revolutionized the way crops were grown and water was managed, allowing them to produce surplus food for the first time in history.

One of the Sumerians' most important achievements was the development of the plow, which made it easier to cultivate the land and plant crops. They also introduced the use of irrigation systems, such as canals and ditches, to bring water from the rivers to their fields. This allowed them to grow crops in areas that were previously arid or dry, greatly increasing their agricultural productivity.

The Sumerians were also the first to implement a crop rotation system, which involved alternating crops each season to keep the soil fertile. They also discovered how to use fertilizers to improve the soil's nutrient content, as well as how to cultivate new crops, such as wheat and barley, that were better suited to the local environment.

Their achievements in agriculture and irrigation allowed the Sumerians to become one of the most prosperous and advanced civilizations of their time, and their techniques were later adopted and refined by other civilizations in the region.