West Africa: Rice Cultivation, Rivers, and Trade Networks

Rice cultivation in the upper Niger floodplains

African rice cultivated by a wetland method at least 3{,}500 years ago in the flood plains of the upper Niger between Segu and Timbuktu; spread down the Gambia River to the Senegambia coast.

Muslim travelers described the great rivers of West Africa: Niger, Senegal, Gambia, Benue, Volta, enabling interregional trade.
Al-Idrisi described the "strongly made boats" of the people of Ghana; early writers called these rivers the "Nile of the Blacks".
Interlacing lakes, lagoons, and streams formed a riverine system that facilitated extensive trade between coastal areas and inland communities.

Traders sold goods along coastal waterways between the Zaire and Kwanzaa rivers.

River systems were integral to the indigenous slave trade; merchants used slaves and draft animals on overland routes connected to rivers.
For the trans-Saharan trade, West African gold and kola were transferred from boat to camel and carried northward.
West African merchants involved in southern trade conducted commerce from the Niger to the Senegal River and from the Senegal to the Gambia River; river networks linked these regions and would later facilitate the Atlantic slave trade.

Lagoon trade provided nearly unbroken communication for 400 miles from the westernmost kingdoms of Allada and Ouidah (Wydah) eastward to Lagos and to Benin farthest east.
Coronation of the King of Whidah (Wydah).