An international group of scholars has recently discovered and proved that one civilization in the Amazon successfully developed an advanced agricultural system that allowed them to plant maize crops year-round.
This research challenges numerous assumptions about large-scale monoculture agriculture and how it was thought to be impossible, given the region’s challenging environment.
The Casarabe people of Bolivia’s Llanos de Moxos implemented a variety of engineering techniques that drastically increased their maize yields, making the crop a staple of their diet.
“We can document that this is the first grain-based agrarian economy in the Amazon, where until now it was believed that agriculture was based on agroforestry polyculture and not on large-scale monocultures. Now we know that this was not the case in Llanos de Moxos,” says study author Umberto Lombardo.
Engineering an agricultural revolution
Llanos de Moxos is known to be both a savannah and the location of the Amazon basin, which floods seasonally. The area experiences extreme rainfall coupled with long droughts.
Despite these extreme conditions, the Casarabe civilization flourished here between 500 AD and 1400 AD, and they mastered the regulation of available water through innovative landscape management techniques that included drainage canals and farm ponds.
During the rainy season, the Casarabe people diverted the excess water away from cultivated fields, which prevented waterlogging. During the dry months, the farm ponds functioned as reservoirs and ensured a consistent supply of water for irrigation. This strategic approach allowed for continuous maize production, resulting in at least two annual harvests.
The first monoculture system in the Amazon
Lombardo’s research contradicts the previously held common perceptions about the Amazon rainforest, that it does not sustain any type of agriculture farming, and hence its residents were dependent on slash-and-burn farming.
Unlike the slash-and-burn agricultural techniques commonly associated with early Amazonian societies, the Casarabe people preserved surrounding forests, using them for firewood, medicinal plants, and other resources while concentrating their farming efforts on seasonally flooded savannahs.
Microbotanical analysis played a crucial role in confirming the extent of maize cultivation by the Casarabe people. Researchers analyzed 178 phytolith (plant microfossil) and pollen samples taken from a farm pond and found conclusive evidence of maize farming, with no traces of other domesticated crops.
A legacy of agricultural ingenuity
The Casarabe civilization was incredibly skilled at controlling and manipulating their surroundings. Their style of farming was effective in improving yield and was also sustainable, promoting food security for years. This discovery illustrates the significance of landscaping in the building of ancient civilizations and highlights how people survived extreme weather.
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In addition to its archaeological relevance, this research is beneficial in modern farming as well. Current water scarcity, coupled with climate change, requires looking back at how previous societies thrived in inhospitable agricultural circumstances.
The dualistic Casarabe water management system had the potential to change the way water was managed through both retention and removal. Today, such innovations can aid in cultivating land in areas prone to floods or severe drought.
Srishti Gupta Srishti studied English literature at the University of Delhi and has since then realized it's not her cup of tea. She has been an editor in every space and content type imaginable, from children's books to journal articles. She enjoys popular culture, reading contemporary fiction and nonfiction, crafts, and spending time with her cats. With a keen interest in science, Srishti is particularly drawn to beats covering medicine, sustainability, gene studies, and anything biology-related.
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