DOI : 10.35690/978-2-7592-1031-2

This journey takes us from the end of the 19th century to the African States gaining independence in the late 1950s.
A first part retraces the history of Africa through the French colonies established on the continent. This history is linked to the discoveries and exchanges of tropical plants and their exploitation to provide the metropolis with tropical products (ground nut, coffee, cocoa, etc.) on which its economy depended. The market for these productions boomed in the 20th century, following advances fuelled mainly by the results of agronomic research work in the experimental stations.
The second part delivers a history of major agricultural speculations entwined with African countries. We can appreciate this history of colonial plants through old photos and a wealth of commented illustrations, along with stories retracing the life of a few outstanding personalities of the time.