A Study Documents Women’s Commercial Sorghum-Beer Economy in Upper Volta

In 1981, anthropologist Mahir Saul published a study of sorghum-beer production and trade in rural Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso. His research showed that women malted sorghum, brewed beer, and sold it in local markets as part of a substantial commercial economy. Much of the beer was produced for sale rather than only for ritual or household consumption, and brewing frequency varied according to access to grain, fuel, labor, and working capital. The trade allowed women to earn profits through brewing, retailing, and malt production, although younger and less wealthy brewers faced greater financial and agricultural constraints. Later research has confirmed that the production of dolo and related West African sorghum beers remains predominantly female and supports wider networks of farmers, transporters, malt producers, vendors, and drinking establishments. The evidence challenges portrayals of traditional African beer as solely domestic production and reveals it as an important form of women’s entrepreneurship.