 humanity originated in africa, and as soon as long as human societies have existed, so has economic activity. the earliest humans were hunter gatherers who were living in small, family groupings. even then there was considerable trade that could cover long distances. archaeologists have found that evidence of trade in luxury items like precious metals and shells across the entirety of the continent. thumb|300px|farms in malawi, 2010. ==ancient history== africa has the longest and oldest economic history. humanity originated in africa, and as soon as human societies existed so did economic activity. earliest humans were hunter gatherers living in small, family groups. even then there was considerable trade that could cover long distances. archaeologists have found that evidence of trade in luxury items like precious metals and shells across the entirety of the continent.economic history of africa some cultures, such as the berber people, lived in dry areas and became nomadic herders, while in the savannah grasslands, cultivated crops and thus permanent settlement were possible. agriculture supported large towns, and eventually large trade networks developed between the towns. ===origins of agriculture=== the first agriculture in africa began in the heart of the sahara desert, which in 5200 bc was far more moist and densely populated than today. several native species were domesticated, most importantly pearl millet, sorghum and cowpeas, which spread through west africa and the sahel. the sahara at this time was like the sahel today. its wide open fields made cultivation easy, but the poor soil and limited rain made intensive farming impossible. the local crops were also not ideal and produced fewer calories than those of other regions. these factors limited surpluses and kept populations sparse and scattered. north africa took a very different route from the southern regions. climatically it is linked to the middle east and the fertile crescent, and the agricultural techniques of that region were adopted wholesale. this included a different sets of crops, such as wheat, barley, and grapes. north africa was also blessed by one of the richest agricultural regions in the world in the nile river valley. with the arrival of agriculture, the nile region became one of the most densely populated areas in the world, and egypt home to one of the first civilizations. the drying of the sahara created a formidable barrier between the northern and southern portions of the continent. two important exceptions were nubian sudan, which was linked to egypt by the nile and ethiopia, which could trade with the northern regions over the red sea. powerful states grew up in these regions such as [
Economic_history_of_Africa Economy_of_Africa History_of_Africa