Abstract
BackgroundUnderstanding the interactions between malaria and agriculture in Tanzania is of particular significance when considering that they are the major sources of illness and livelihoods. The objective of this study was to determine knowledge, perceptions and practices as regards to malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food insecurity in a rural farming community in central Tanzania.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, heads of households were interviewed on their knowledge and perceptions on malaria transmission, symptoms and prevention and knowledge and practices as regards to climate change and food security.ResultsA total of 399 individuals (mean age = 39.8 ± 15.5 years) were interviewed. Most (62.41%) of them had attained primary school education and majority (91.23%) were involved in crop farming activities. Nearly all (94.7%) knew that malaria is acquired through a mosquito bite. Three quarters (73%) reported that most people get sick from malaria during the rainy season. About 50% of the respondents felt that malaria had decreased during the last 10 years. The household coverage of insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITN) was high (95.5%). Ninety-six percent reported to have slept under a mosquito net the previous night. Only one in four understood the official Kiswahili term (Mabadiliko ya Tabia Nchi) for climate change. However, there was a general understanding that the rain patterns have changed in the past 10 years. Sixty-two percent believed that the temperature has increased during the same period. Three quarters of the respondents reported that they had no sufficient production from their own farms to guarantee food security in their household for the year. Three quarters (73.0%) reported to having food shortages in the past five years. About half said they most often experienced severe food shortage during the rainy season.ConclusionFarming communities in Kilosa District have little knowledge on climate change and its impact on malaria burden. Food insecurity is common and community-based strategies to mitigate this need to be established. The findings call for an integrated control of malaria and food insecurity interventions.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-015-0052-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Understanding the interactions between malaria and agriculture in Tanzania is of particular significance when considering that they are the major sources of illness and livelihoods
Health, agriculture, and food security are interdependent, whereby failure in one has negative effects on the others. These interactions operate in a vicious cycle: illness and death, such as that caused by malaria, detract from farm worker productivity, which leads to low harvests, thereby resulting in food insecurity [1]
Household information was collected in three broad categories: (i) Malaria knowledge and perception, which included the cause of malaria, the symptoms, the season people get malaria most, treatment and prevention, and whether or not malaria has decreased in the study area during the past 10 years; (ii) Changes of rainfall and temperature for the past 10 years and the impacts to the communities, and changes in farming system and crops as the adaptive capacity; and (iii) Food security, which included availability of sufficient food to last before the harvest season, number of meals per day, Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristic of respondents (N = 399)
Summary
Understanding the interactions between malaria and agriculture in Tanzania is of particular significance when considering that they are the major sources of illness and livelihoods. The objective of this study was to determine knowledge, perceptions and practices as regards to malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food insecurity in a rural farming community in central Tanzania. Agriculture, and food security are interdependent, whereby failure in one has negative effects on the others. These interactions operate in a vicious cycle: illness and death, such as that caused by malaria, detract from farm worker productivity, which leads to low harvests, thereby resulting in food insecurity [1]. Some agricultural practices pose health hazards, including providing environments for mosquito breeding and contributing to malaria [5,6]
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