ABSTRACT
In the division of labour between men and women, only building, including well construction and house repairs, were found to be almost entirely men’s work. In the World Bank’s Long Term Perspective Study, it was estimated that in Africa over 60 per cent of agricultural production and 70 per cent of staple food production are carried out by women. The women were involved in all stages of trials and adjustments to the raw materials available. In most African traditional cultures, women may be allocated their own fields and be responsible for specific crops and operations, from which they enjoy a separate income. The exclusion of women from full citizenship in much of Africa remains a serious obstacle to both urban and rural development. The main feature of the operations of women traders in Africa is that they are individualistic or based on the family and close friends.
