5.3 Agricultural Origins and Diffusion

The major agricultural hearth near Panama is associated with the ancient Mesoamerican civilization. This region is situated northwest of Panama, but it is considered a significant cultural and agricultural center that had a substantial influence on all surrounding areas.

While it is difficult to find what exactly originated in Panama, the earliest crops known to be in that region were maize, beans, squash, and cacao. The earliest livestock to be known in that region were turkey and guinea pigs.

Migration routes in the pre-columbian period and during the columbian exchange had a massive influence in the agriculture that led to a diffusion in the country,