Perceived Impact Of Malaria On The Productivity Of Rice Farmers In Ini Local Government Area Of Akwa Ibom State

Na Etim,Ge Edet,Ea Edet,Ua Asa

doi:10.4314/gjass.v7i1.2357

Abstract

Health and nutritional status affect the capacity to learn, which in turn determines productivity and economic growth. This paper employs a cross-sectional set of data from 120 rice farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. These data were collected with the aid of questionnaire using simple random sampling technique. Descriptive statistical tools were used for data analysis. Findings reveal that local, religious, and cultural beliefs; poverty status, literacy level and ignorance of diagnosis were factors that influenced the treatment of malaria in the study area. The study shows that the farmers were not using the insecticide-treated bed nets (ITBNs) as a measure of malaria control. Results further reveal that as perceived by the farmers, malaria frequently disrupts land clearing and weeding operations on the farm. Keywords: Perceived impact, Malaria, Productivity, Rice FarmersGlobal Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 7 (1) 2008: pp. 35-38

Highlights

Malaria has been and remains one of the greatest scourges of humanity (Arrow, 2004)
Malaria is an endemic disease killing more than one million people annually in Africa, with more than 50 percent of the deaths occurring among rural farming families, resulting in a negative impact on food security throughout Africa
Malaria is a major health problem in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Pacific, Africa faces the brunt of the disease (Flores and Gillespie, 2001)

Summary

Introduction

Malaria has been and remains one of the greatest scourges of humanity (Arrow, 2004). The extent and depth of the devastating impact of malaria in the developing world at the turn of the new century and millennium remains unconscionable. Malaria is an endemic disease killing more than one million people annually in Africa, with more than 50 percent of the deaths occurring among rural farming families, resulting in a negative impact on food security throughout Africa. Malaria is an important public-health problem and one of the major causes of poverty among rural farmers in Nigeria. To combat the ravaging woes of poverty and increase agricultural production, the level of malaria infection and other health related problems among rural farmers has to be reduced to the barest minimum. Sachs and Gallup (1998) posited that the effect of ill health on agriculture is a vicious cycle which must be broken if poverty is to be truly eliminated and food security ensured in Africa To combat the ravaging woes of poverty and increase agricultural production, the level of malaria infection and other health related problems among rural farmers has to be reduced to the barest minimum. Sachs and Gallup (1998) posited that the effect of ill health on agriculture is a vicious cycle which must be broken if poverty is to be truly eliminated and food security ensured in Africa

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Conclusion