Effect on Columbian crops on Sub-Saharan Africa?

[leopard9]

Let's say that there's a very limited African slave trade going on but Portugal is still trading with West Africa for gold and it introduces squash, maize, cassava, and sweet potato to western Africa. What are the demographic, cultural, and political effects of this? How long does it take for the crops to be adopted? Will Western Africa have an edge compared to the rest of Africa due to its contact with the Portuguese and American crops?

 

[Escape Zeppelin]

The two biggest new world crops in Africa were maize and cassava. Corn was adopted very quickly in OTL making it's way deep into Africa long before European explorers. Cassava was less quickly adopted but also lead to an increase in population. What's interesting is in our history the increase in population due to new crops is part of what made the slave trade profitable.

Significantly decreased slave trade likely means less European-African trade and less access to European weapons.

http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/whic/Ref...oak30216&zid=1600bfabdcfdcd023dd062cc0ea60585

 

[fasquardon]

I know that maize particularly was revolutionary in OTL Africa, and key to allowing regions that are wealthy (relatively, at least) today to begin their ascent. The specifics are something I am ignorant on, however.

Certainly, earlier introduction of New World crops would lead to more population growth and development.

fasquardon

 

[Musadutoe]

Can you define West Africa more specifically? For example, maize is considered a snack versus a staple in Senegal and The Gambia. Millet and rice; not including foreign food aid are the primary staples where cassava comes in a distant third.