Utilitarian Value of Ground Nut Among the Nupe Women of North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Agriculture and manufacturing activities is as old as production of goods and services in African society. In the production of goods and services women formed a sizeable population of the labour force. This has not been an exception in Nupe land. The friendly nature of ecology of Nupe land made it possible for production of ground nut in large quantity that allowed for its utilization in different forms most especially by the women. Thus the plants, the nuts and the shell are used by women in different forms. It is on this premise that the study examined production, utilisation, marketing and consumption of groundnut among Nupe women. The study uses historical research methodology of oral interaction, reconnaissance survey and unpublished and published materials in collection of data and analyses. The study revealed that Nupe women played supportive role in cultivation through planting, harvesting, and separation of pod from plants to processing into different bye products and marketing.