"Although native Africans domesticated some plants in the Sahel and in Ethiopia and in tropical West Africa, they acquired valuable domestic animals only later, from the north"

This quote by Jared Diamond is referring to the domestication of plants and animals in Africa. It suggests that native Africans had the ability to domesticate some plants in the Sahel, Ethiopia, and tropical West Africa, however they did not get domestic animals till later, from the north. This indicates that the domestication of animals was not a practice that was native to Africa, however rather was introduced from other areas. This could be due to the fact that the environment and environment of Africa was not favorable to the domestication of animals, or that the understanding and innovation to do so was not readily available. This quote highlights the value of the exchange of understanding and innovation in between various areas, and how it can have a considerable influence on the advancement of a culture.