Early varieties of maize, millet, and beans may be harvested in small quantities in July and August. The other crops are harvested between October and December. January to April, the season with limited agricultural activities, is marked by many festivities and relatively high food availability. Producing staple foods is the work of both men and women, but women take care of processing, preparing, and distributing foods as well as gathering wild foods. Eating groups are formed, with individuals sharing one calabash of pate and one bowl of relish.
Women eat with their younger children, and men eat together with their older sons.
A full data set for the four seasons was obtained for 27 of these women. Reasons for being discontinued were pregnancy and low compliance with the food-source records in the first season. In addition, an intro-household food distribution study was carried out on 26 households, also randomly selected from the 214 households. The characteristics of these households were monogamy and having at least one child between two and five years of age. All raw ingredients, prepared dishes, portions served to the women, and left-avers were weighed.