The Songhai Rice Farms That Fed an Empire

Before the Saadian invasion, Songhai's economy wasn't just about gold and salt. At the empire's heart lay an ingenious agricultural system based on floating rice fields along the Niger River. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Songhai rice farms cultivated by the Sorko and other riverine peoples, the role of the Niger's annual flood in shaping the growing calendar, and how the state managed land tenure and taxation of rice paddies. They discuss the varieties of African rice (Oryza glaberrima) domesticated in the region, the use of dikes and canals to control water, and the connection between rice surpluses and the empire's ability to feed its armies and cities like Gao and Timbuktu. Listeners learn about the seasonal rhythms of planting and harvest, the labor organization of farming communities, and how the Moroccan invasion disrupted this fragile ecosystem, leading to famine and depopulation. #SonghaiEmpire #WestAfricanAgriculture #NigerRiver #AfricanRice #OryzaGlaberrima #Sorko #FloatingRice #Gao #Timbuktu #PrecolonialFarming #SahelianCuisine #MoroccanInvasion #FamineHistory #LandTenure #Irrigation #FoodHistory #History #FexingoHistory #WestAfrica #SunniAli Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo