Recent research indicates that livelihood diversity was essential for the survival of ancient African societies, allowing them to adapt to significant climate shifts over millennia. The study highlights how historically, Africans utilized a combination of herding, farming, fishing, and foraging, which provided them with the flexibility needed to thrive amid drastic environmental changes. This research, using a continent-wide isotope dataset, underscores that resilience to climate change relies on localized strategies rather than universally applicable solutions, offering valuable lessons for contemporary food systems.
What we see is not a linear story of progress but a complex mosaic of strategies that helped people stay resilient. That has real lessons for food systems today.
This flexibility in subsistence was a hallmark of African adaptation to changing conditions and essential for long-term resilience.
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