If you put several villagers one the same task it will go faster!Seems to me that, at the beginning, food is the most important and you need some tech point to get a new source of food. Building the hut will help you only if you want to increase the population.
(I every time play in 1/2 speed because I want not to see my villagers becoming old too fast!!)
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My Story: Aika's Memoirs in Kitten's forum