Fufu Production and Marketing in Ijebu-North Local Government Area 1982 - 2024

Abstract

This study examined the historical evolution, production processes, marketing systems, and socio-economic impacts of fufu production in Ijebu-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. The work situates fufu within the broader context of cassava cultivation, indigenous food processing, and rural livelihoods. Cassava, a major staple crop in Nigeria, is central to food security, household income, and cultural identity in Ijebu communities. The study revealed that fufu production evolved from a domestic, subsistence practice into a vibrant small-scale commercial enterprise, largely driven by women and family labour. It established that its production remains predominantly manual, relying on indigenous knowledge systems, with limited mechanisation due to high costs, poor electricity supply, and inadequate institutional support. Marketing has expanded from local periodic markets to inter-regional trade linking rural producers with urban centres such as Abeokuta, Ibadan, and Lagos. Despite the challenges of transportation, storage, and dependence on middlemen, fufu production provides a steady income, supports education and household welfare, generates rural employment, and contributes to local government revenue through market levies. Primary sources, such as oral interviews from producers and marketers, and secondary sources, like books, journal articles, and internet materials, were used. Fufu production, therefore, represents a gendered, culturally embedded rural economy that plays an important role in local food systems.