North Africa as a whole eventually grew to become the largest provider of food to the Roman Empire and this was instrumental in the phenomenal growth of the Empire as well as its downfall. The Romans expanded on the agriculture they found there and created new technologies, which eventually made North Africa the breadbasket of the Roman empire. Supplies from North Africa satisfied the cravings of the elite, as well as the hunger of the poor. It is said that at the peak of the Empire, North Africa supplied 2/3 of Rome’s grain supply. Other factors including crawling desertification compounded by climate change have led to the diminishing agricultural prowess of North Africa.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 30, 2020 06:20 UTC