Module 3: Know(ing) how
Agile knowledge & flexible technology
The beginning of the production economy, in which livestock and crops were bred and cultivated for the first time, marked the start of an epochal change. It is still the basis of our society today. African communities used the new knowledge in very different ways by constantly remixing the four pillars of food production - domestic animals, wild animals, cultivated plants and wild plants - across the continent.
More about Module 3:
Around 4,000 years ago, an innovative method of baking flatbread emerged in sub-Saharan Africa: flat baking plates. This invention was necessary because the types of millet grown in Africa did not contain gluten and therefore could not be processed into traditional bread. These baking plates found their way to North Africa and Southwest Asia and are still a central element in many African cuisines today.
With around 2,300 languages, Africa is a true center of linguistic diversity. This diversity has its roots in the continent's long cultural development and is particularly pronounced along the equator. In many regions of Africa, multilingualism is part of everyday life, and linguistic diversity offers an exciting opportunity for research and understanding of the continent's cultural dynamics.
The various African communities adapted their way of life according to geographical and climatic conditions. This extraordinary flexibility enabled communities to adapt quickly to environmental and social changes. This agility is one of the outstanding characteristics that has characterized African societies for thousands of years.