But there are signs that crops were grown almost as long ago in many parts of the world, including the Far East, India and Latin America. The crops that farmers grow depend on the climate and soil, and also on the style of farming. Of the basic staple foods, cassava, for instance, is unsuitable for large-scale mechanized farming, but grows well in dry places, which is why it is grown widely in parts of Africa.
Wheat is grown all over the world, especially in temperate regions.
North America grows almost half the world's maize crop. The crops grown then were much the same as those grown now - wheat and barley, rice, oats and beans. But although the crops are the same, they are now farmed in a very different way in many places. Crops are still grown this way in much of Africa and Asia. But in North America and Europe, crop farmers today use more and more machines to plough and reap huge, open grain fields.