The Songhai Empire's Water Management and Famine Policy

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the Songhai Empire managed its most vital resource — the Niger River — and developed sophisticated systems to prevent famine. They discuss the role of the fari-mondio, the empire's chief administrator who oversaw grain storage and distribution, and the network of state-controlled granaries known as kore. Learn about the ingenious irrigation techniques used along the Niger floodplains, including the falo system of dikes and canals, and how Askia Muhammad's reforms after his pilgrimage improved agricultural output. The episode also covers the devastating famine of 1582 under Askia Dawud, which exposed cracks in the system, and the long-term environmental challenges that contributed to the empire's decline. Tune in for a deep dive into the unsung story of Songhai's agricultural backbone — the farmers and engineers who fed an empire. #SonghaiEmpire #NigerRiver #AskiaMuhammad #AskiaDawud #fari-mondio #kore #falo #irrigation #famine #WestAfrica #Sahel #agriculture #grainStorage #environmentalHistory #16thCentury #FexingoHistory #History #AfricanHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo