Fertility, according to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, refers to the condition or state of being fertile, that is being able to produce many young, fruits or seeds. In the past, fertility was very important to the people. For instance, the people of the Indus Valley in India were believed to have worshipped the Mother Goddess, who was a symbol of fertility. Why was this so?

Firstly, fertility was important in terms of the fertility of the soil. This was due to the fact that the people of the past depended mainly on agriculture for food. The fertile soil of the banks of the Indus river in India, the River Hwang Ho in China and the Nile River in Egypt was the key to the development of civilizations here, as the fertile soil made it possible for crops to grow well. To a farmer of the past, fertile soil was essential to ensure that his crops grew well, so that there would be sufficient food for his family.

Secondly, the fertility of animals was important to the people, as animals were also a part of their diet. It was important that animals such as lambs, calves, foals, piglets and other animals were able to reproduce, so as to answer that there would be sufficient animals around to satisfy the stomachs of the people. Animals also played a part in religious rites, such as in the case of sacrifices to the Gods. Thus, it was important that there were sufficient animals around which were to be served as offerings to the Gods.

Thirdly, the importance of fertility was placed on women, their being able to produce children, especially sons, to carry on the family line. For instance in ancient China, where sons were preferred over daughters, women were expected of them to be able to bear sons for their husbands. Sons were considered to bring honour to the family since they were the ones who could be educated, inherited the family's wealth and carried on the family's surname. Women who could not produce sons were scorned at and may even be thrown out of the family. The importance of fertility of women is also reflected in the lives of the Maya, where women had wide hips, indicating their ability to reproduce. Click here for more information.

Today, with advanced technology, we are able to grow crops on infertile land with the use of fertilizers and irrigation. A large amount of crops can also be grown in a small amount of land, thanks to the use of high yielding seeds such as the "miracle rice". As a result, fertility of the soil is no longer so important.

Animals are still part of our diet today and their productivity concern us highly. However, with research in the field of cloning going on and scientists recent success at being able to clone a lamb, called Dolly, hints that we may, very soon, no longer need to depend on how fast animals can reproduce, since we can just clone these animals that supply part of our diet! Imagine what would happen then! The thought of eating cloned ducks and chickens is indeed too frightening to be thought of. What do you readers think of it then?

The fertility of women is also no longer much of a concern nowadays, since with advanced technology, it is now possible to reproduce by means of artificial reproduction, such as by artificial insemination. More information on artificial reproduction can be found here.

So it seems that advanced technology today is the key to solving the problems of infertility, which people of the past have little knowledge of, except to pray to their Gods for fertile soil or for the women, a son! What are your views on the importance of fertility then?

According to the people of the Indus Valley in ancient India, the Mother Goddess was a symbol of fertility

Fertile land.