are female heads of households, are forced into a situation where they It was observed during the survey that sorghum husbandry is very
have to plant late because the common planting practice is dribbling the poor due to labor constraints. The calendar time for sorghum weeding is
seed behind the plough, the same as that for maize, which is considered a priority crop. In addiFamily labor is almost equally distributed for land preparation (after tion, broadcast method results in random growth so that it is more diffistumping), but planting and fertilizer applications are mostly carried out by cult to weed. Sorghum is weeded two or three times. Sorghum is often
children. Stooking is mostly a job for the husband or wife, while men planted on waste fields without any fertilizer applications. The seed rate
mainly transport the produce from the field. Each family member con- ranges from six to twenty-two kilograms 'per hectare, though the LIMA
tributes almost equally toward the total labor distribution for maize, with a recommendation is for three kilograms per hectare. Farmers select their
slightly higher contribution from the head of the household (see Table 9-5). seed based on the size of the panicle.
Sorghum grows eight to nine feet tall. As the grain matures, bird scar2orghum cultivation. ;,.o1um is the second major cash and staple ing is necessary fr6m February (just before cutting and stacking the
crop, grown by 67 percent of the farmers. Its primary use is for beer sorghum in the fields) through May (when the last of the grain heads are
brewing, though some of it is used for cooking nsbima (porridge). A cut from the dried stalks). Because bird damage contributes to low
ninety-kilogram bag of sorghum will produce beer which sells for K 100. sorghum yields, women spend almost twelve hours per day in the fields
Sorghum is mostly grown by women, and the revenues realized from the scaring away birds. This activity, according to the labor survey, accounts
sale of sorghum beer usually are controlled by them. Married women, for well over 52 percent of the total labor expended in growing sorghum.
however, may consult with their husbands. During this period, women move to the fields for the day and use
Planting and preparing land for sorghum take place at the same time. temporary shelters. The women's activities away from home include
Women broadcast the seed while men plow behind them with a team of grinding maize and sorghum, preparing meals, washing clothes, and makoxen. This takes place from mid-November to early December. Four to ing baskets. In an effort to help their mothers, children sometimes miss
five weeks after germination, when the plants are just slightly below classes at school.
knee-high, women thin out some plants and transplant them into parts of To make beer, sorghum seed is germinated and then fermented for
the field where the density is low; this ensures an even stand. The labor two or three days. Then it is dried and pounded into flour and made into
requirement for planting, therefore, is a summation of the labor for broad- a light porridge which is fermented for five to seven days. The light porcasting and for transplanting, ridge is combined with a freshly made thick porridge of maize and
sorghum and left overnight for further fermentation. The following day it
Table 9-5 is sieved so that a thin liquid remains. After another night of fermentation,
Division of Labor for Hybrid Maize Cultivation (N=9) the brew is ready for drinking. Local laws allow beer selling only on Fridays and Saturdays.
I lusband Wife Children I lired Labor Total
hr/ha % f hr/ha % hr/ha % hr/ha % hr/ha % Finger millet cultivation. Finger millet is grown primarily by
Prep. land 25 33 24 32 26 34 75 10 women. In December and January the seed is broadcast on fiat land and
Plant 26 25 25 24 53 51 104 14 then raked in. Land is not tilled in the conventional manner. Planting and
Fertilize 10 23 11 26 21 51 42 6 raking appear in this report as planting. This activity takes ip 25 percent
Weed 70 30 51 22 87 37 28 12 236 32 of the total labor used for finger millet. Since it is grown on new land,
Stook 23 56 17 42 1 2 41 6
Ilarvest 31 28 27 24 31 28 23 21 112 15 weed infestation is minimal; hence, finger millet is not normally weeded.
Transport Bird scaring (April) and harvesting (May and June) take up most of the
from field 39 84 2 4 2 4 4 8 47 7 labor expended on finger millet (71 percent). Finger millet is mostly used
Thresh and for beer brewing and for cooking nsbima.
pack 18 24 24 32 32 44 74 10
Total 242 33 181 25 221 30 87 12 731 100 Relish crops. Groundnuts, sweet potatoes, and beans (bush beans)
.urte. AItl Lalor Survey (1982/83). are the primary relish crops. Sweet potatoes are mostly grown for home
Note, Ilours per hectare were calculated at the same rate for women, men, and children.
Percents under Husband, Wife, Children and Hired Labor read across (totalling 100 percent); consumption as snacks and also for sale; the leaves of sweet potatoes are percents under Total read down. used as a vegetable, fresh or dry. Pumpkin leaves, too, are used as a veg-