DO OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AFFECT REVENUE EARNINGS OF CASSAVA PROCESSORS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA?

Mercy Ebere Ndubueze-Ogaraku,Obinna Darlington Ezeala,Zelda Anne Omasanuwa

doi:10.14738/assrj.74.7956

Mercy Ebere Ndubueze-Ogaraku, Obinna Darlington Ezeala + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.74.7956

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Abstract

Farming and food processing have been described as one of the most hazardous activities especially in developing countries. The associated hazards have the potential to affect revenue earned by the workers in the agriculture sector. The study was aimed at investigating whether occupational hazards affect revenue earned by cassava processors in Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically processing activities, occupational hazards and safety measures adopted by the processors were identified. Effects of occupational hazards on revenue earnings of the cassava processors were determined. 25 respondents were randomly selected from four communities in Obio/Akpor and Etche Local Government Areas making a total of 100 respondents. Data were collected with the use of questionnaire administered to the 100 respondents. Results of the study showed that women dominated cassava processing enterprise with the mean age of 43 years. The majority (37.4%) processed cassava into garri while 32 per cent processed cassava into garri and fufu products. Inhalation of smoke ranked highest among the occupational hazard identified. The regression analysis result showed that cost of cassava, the quantity of cassava tuber and quantity of fufu had a positive influence on revenue earned by the processors at 1% significant level each. However, the quantity of garri produced showed a negative relationship with the revenue earned by the processors at 1% significant level. Occupational hazard did not show a significant effect on the amount of revenue earned by cassava processors. It is recommended that management should re-enforce the use of personal protective equipment by all workers to reduce occupational risks and hazards in cassava processing firms.

Highlights

Cassava (Manihot esculenta ) and its by-products are staple food for over 600 million people in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Asia
This finding agrees with [19] which found that about 78.6 percent of cassava processors are female, as processing of agricultural products is generally seen as a female job
The high level of literacy among processors would definitely influence the rates of adoption of modern techniques in cassava processing. [22] made similar observation while accessing occupational hazards, health problems and peakexpiratory flow rates of local garri processors in a rural community in South-South, Nigeria

Summary

Introduction

Cassava (Manihot esculenta ) and its by-products are staple food for over 600 million people in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Asia. The processing of cassava into various products comes with a lot of environmental as well as occupational health hazards to the environment, consumers and especially the processors [4]. Processing of cassava has its occupational health hazards and must be given high consideration as cassava products is inseparable from man and animals especially in the developing countries where it is the cheapest staple food used to combat hunger [6]. The study by [9] reported various occupational hazards in cassava processing to include; physical/environmental hazards such as excessive noise from machines that can cause permanent noise-induced hearing loss or deafness; excessive cold that could lead to hypothermia, frostbite and chilblains and excessive heat which could generate heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and heat dermatomes [9]. Poor and unsafe work conditions are both a cause and consequence of poverty in any profession [12]

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