The Maasina region of Mali is a full-fledged geographical and political state located in the central part of the country. The culture and lifestyle of the Fula Kita who live there are virtually identical to those of the other Fulani peoples in West Africa. The Fula Kita make a living mainly from farming and herding. Gathering forest products, hunting, fishing, and trading are also part of their daily lives. Staple crops include millet, rice, and peanuts.
Cattle are their main type of livestock, but sheep and goats are also raised.
The cattle are not the usual Fulani humped breed, but a native Fouta Djallon breed called Ndama , which is resistant to the disease-carrying tsetse fly. Herding cattle is usually a male activity, although the women milk and help take care of the cattle. The women also tend to the small livestock and poultry, cultivate gardens, and carry containers of milk and cheese to the local markets for sale or trade. Although Fula Kita villages are scattered, each village has a central court and a mosque. Together, these compose a miside , or community.