Gender and Innovation

Farming, Cooking and Palm Processing in the Ngwa Region, South-Eastern Nigeria, 1900–1930

Bibliographic Data

ID8980995
AuthorsMartin (0000-0002-8384-8714, University of London, corresponding author), Susan Martin (0000-0002-9594-5036, University of London, corresponding author)
Year1984
Volume25
Issue4
Pages411-427
Publication date1984-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of African History (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-8537 • E-ISSN: 1469-5138
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0021853700028462
OpenAlexW1982897298
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited33

Three main forms of agrarian change are shown to have occurred in the Ngwa region during the period covered in this article. The first was the adoption of a new hand-processing method for palm oil, which can be seen as a response to growing pressures on female labour resources as Ngwa farmers increased their export production of palm oil and kernels. The second was the adoption of cassava by women. This increased their workloads but helped them to fill a hungry-season gap in local food supplies. It formed part of a long-term trend of diversification within Ngwa agriculture. Finally, men began helping with cassava processing. Like their earlier entry into palm-oil processing, this move reflected not only a growing pressure on female labour resources but also a need for men to participate in processing if they were to claim a share of the saleable product. In the concluding sections of the article, gender relations are shown to have influenced farmers' patterns of saving and investment. An awareness of gender is seen to be relevant when considering both the issue of mechanisation and the history of other kinds of agrarian change

Agrarian society · Agricultural economics · Agricultural science · Agriculture · Business · Diversification (marketing strategy · Economics · Economy · Food processing · Geography · Investment (military · Livelihood · Palm · Palm oil · Political science · Product (mathematics · African history and culture studies · Agriculture and Rural Development Research · Marketing