Women are given a small plot of ground on which to grow their own vegetables to use in the households or to sell in the market. Greens are gathered from domestic and wild plants in the forest. Palm oil is extracted from the many wild palm oil trees and then used for such things as fuel and cooking. Gio men do most of the agricultural work, but women help with the harvesting and weeding. Men also do all of the hunting and most of the fishing, while women tend to such domestic duties as caring for the children and preparing the meals.
Children help by chasing wild animals and birds away from the crops.
The Gio also raise livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats. These animals are eaten only on special ritual occasions involving much feasting. Gio villages are divided into quarters, each housing an extended family or lineage. Although the village or town chief administers authority over the whole village, the real power comes from the council of elders who assist the chief in all decisions. Traditional Gio huts were small, single-room dwellings made of mud and thatch.