The Status Of Rural Women’s Health And Cassava Output In Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to analyze the influence of the health status of women farmers on their level of cassava production. The specific objectives are to; identify the socio-economic characteristics of the rural women in the area, ascertain common health problems they encounter and their health management techniques and the influence of the rural women’s health status on level of cassava production in the area. A multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select 200 women farmers in Ikom Local Government Area in Nigeria. Data was collected and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that, majority of the women were in the age range of 40-50 years, 71% were married, 78% traded alongside farming, 66.5% had some form of formal education, their family sizes range between 6-10 people and with a mean family size of 6. Annual income of the farmers range between #10,000 - #14,000. The predominant practice was mixed cropping. Body pains, fever, malaria, headache, were the common ailment. While painful menstruation (20.5%) was the most common reproductive disease. Results from the regression analysis shows that the household size, educational level and income are significantly related to the health status of the rural women while age and marital status are not significantly related. Health centers, patent medicine stores, family planning, leprosy centers were readily available in the villages surveyed clinic. As health status of the women improved, productivity was therefore expected to increase. On this basis, the policy of free health facilities for women was advocated if women cassava productivity is to increase. A policy of free medical facilities including good food to the rural women will boost their health status and productivity.