Around 2000 years ago, many grain farmers from East and Central Africa moved to what we now call Southern Africa. The new farmers brought many different skills with them, such as farming of crops. They believed the land should be used for planting food.

In about 250 AD, African farmers came to Southern Africa from further North. Archaeologists call this period of history the Iron Age. Like the Khoikhoi, the Iron Age farmers also had domestic animals and pottery.

Agriculture in South Africa contributes around 5% of formal employment, relatively low compared to other parts of Africa and the number is still decreasing, [1] as well as providing work for casual laborers and contributing around 2.6 percent of GDP for the nation. [2]

They were directly ancestral to the Bantu-speaking peoples who form the majority of South Africa’s population today. Early Iron Age farmers grew crops, cutting back the vegetation with iron hoes and axes, and herded cattle and sheep.

The classroom will focus on: when, why and where the first African farmers settled in Southern Africa. The first section will look at the interaction with the Khoisan, specifically the principle of generous acceptance of other people.