The Palm Wine Trade in Freetown, Sierra Leone: Production, Income, and Social Construction1

Aiah R. Lebbie; Raymond P. Guries

doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2002)056[0246:TPWTIF]2.0.CO;2

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Aiah R. Lebbie,¹ Raymond P. Guries²

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Njala University College, PMB Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Department of Forest Ecology and Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
²Department of Forest Ecology and Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Abstract

Palm wine tapped from Elaeis guineensis provides high incomes to certain groups such as Limba tribe members and women while creating social networks among tappers, traders, and retail vendors. Income levels from palm-wine tapping were several-fold higher than the minimum daily wage in Sierra Leone during 1998. Gender differences were particularly important in the marketing of palm wine, with women dominating the retail sector whereas men served as producers and middleman. An estimated 90% of palm wine middlemen are males, whereas kiosk vendors are mostly females. A formalized gift-giving culture has developed to ensure the continuous flow of palm wine from tapper to consumer.

Citation Download Citation

Aiah R. Lebbie and Raymond P. Guries "The Palm Wine Trade in Freetown, Sierra Leone: Production, Income, and Social Construction," Economic Botany 56(3), 246-254, (1 July 2002). https://doi.org/10.1663/0013-0001(2002)056[0246:TPWTIF]2.0.CO;2

Published: 1 July 2002