Yams were domesticated independently in at least three world regions: in the Guinea savanna and forest belt of West Africa, where the white Guinea yam became a founding staple of West African agriculture; in Southeast Asia; and in the Pacific and parts of South Asia via other Dioscorea species. The West African domestication, dated to several thousand years ago, underlies "yam cultures" across the region in which the crop carries deep ceremonial and social significance alongside its role as a staple food, and yam cultivation remains most heavily concentrated in West Africa today, which produces the large majority of the world' s yam crop.
Facts
Classification
Type/ClassificationAgricultural Revolution or Transformation 1 LocationNiger River basin, West Africa 1 Connections
Associated With
Yam, Crops This milestone records the domestication event of the yam crop it is directly named for.
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Africa, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: Niger, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: West Africa, found in there.
Sources
1. Genetic Analysis Shows Yams Domesticated in West Africa, Archaeology Magazine
Article body, sentence naming the domestication location
yams were first domesticated in the Niger River basin
lead description (milestone-kind)
Yams were domesticated independently in at least three world regions: in the Guinea savanna and forest belt of West Africa, where the white Guinea yam became a founding staple of West African agriculture; in Southeast Asia; and in the Pacific and parts of South Asia via other Dioscorea species.
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.