Women in Cassava Processing and Marketing in North Central Nigeria: Are they any Happier?

Abstract

Cassava is one of the most important staple food items available in Nigeria. Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava and it’s considered the most important tropical root crop providing food and income to over 30 million farmers, processors and traders. The objective of this study is to ascertain the happiness status of women combining occupation of processing and marketing cassava with family responsibility in north-central Nigeria. This objective is motivated by novelty of such researches in the research area. The findings revealed that women in processing and marketing of cassava in north central Nigeria are happy.  The study concludes that happiness question in the study area is influence by the people’s culture where one will hardly said he/she is unhappy. The study therefore, recommends that community leaders and local government authorities encourage women in cassava processing and marketing to always form cooperative societies. This will not only make them a formidable common front but will improve their contributions/supports to families from their cooperatives pool resources.