Published on 2026-09-09

Proto-agriculture in West Africa

In West Africa, agriculture begins well before the actual domestication of plants according to research conducted by Sylvain Ozainne from the University of Geneva. Local populations cultivate wild species from 10,000 BC and practice the breeding of domestic animals starting from 6000 BC. It is therefore necessary to wait until the year 3500 BC to witness a true domestication of plants in this region.