Exploring Nupe girls’ engagement in income generating activity of groundnut-based edible products

Abstract

Nupe girls play essential role in complementing their family income. They are actively involved in various entrepreneurial activities and most importantly, activities related to processing and selling of farm products in which one of it is groundnut-based edible products. This is evident in their involvement in processing groundnut cake (kuli-kuli), Danka cookies and selling ofmother’s local spices that are made from groundnut. This paper has two objectives; firstly, to detect the level of involvement of Nupe girls in the production of groundnut-based edible products and secondly to examine the stimulating factors that influence Nupe girls’ involvement in the production and selling of groundnut-based edible products. The study deployed ethnographic research methodology for data collection. Where participant observation strategy was used with semi-structured interview. A total number of 20 Nupe girls from Mokwa and Bokani (14 from Mokwa and 6 from Bokani) were interviewed. The research used qualitative research methodology with semi-structured interviews as the techniques for data collection. The results revealed that there are three essential motivating factors that can be ascribed to the involvement intentions of Nupe girls in the processing and selling of groundnutbased edible product. They are economic gain, social capital and keeping the Nupe value and tradition alive.