Millet, a cereal grain familiar today as birdseed, played a crucial role in this process. Originating in North China around 10,000 years ago, millet was carried across Eurasia by ancient shepherds and herders. This hardy grain, with its short growing season and low water requirements, was ideal for mobile forms of cultivation. It could be harvested just 45 days after planting, allowing nomadic tribes to combine growing crops of millet with hunting and foraging as they traveled across the continent.
Millet was eventually mixed with other crops in emerging populations, giving rise to ‘multi-cropping’. This practice, which involved growing different crops in different locations and at different times of year, provided a buffer against possible crop failures and extended the growing season. It also introduced a more pressing need for cooperation and the beginnings of a stratified society, as some people grew crops upstream and others farmed downstream, requiring a system of water management.