Spread of Maize in Africa

Timeline

1. c. 1550–1580Coast of the Gulf of Guinea · West AfricaAround the 1550s, maize entered West Africa aboard Portuguese ships and at coastal trading posts as part of American crops. Initially trialed in small coastal plots, it coexisted as a novel food crop with existing sorghum, cassava, and others, spreading from ports inland.
2. c. 1580–1590Mozambique coast · MozambiqueFrom the 1580s, maize spread along the Swahili coast of East Africa and via the Mozambique corridor. Portuguese and Arab merchants carried it into inland river valleys, gradually expanding cultivation in areas suited to rain-fed agriculture.
3. 1591–1600Sub-Saharan Africa · AfricaBetween 1591 and 1600, maize was integrated into crop rotation and intercropping systems across much of Africa. Its rapid growth and higher yields supplemented traditional grains, altering dietary structures and famine resilience in some regions, laying the groundwork for further spread in the 17th century.