JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND DISEASES
Integrity Research Journals

ISSN: 2705-2214
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JPHD
Start Year: 2018
Email: jphd@integrityresjournals.org


Effect of malaria incidence and rainfall pattern on crop productivity among farming households: Evidence from North-Central, Nigeria

https://doi.org/10.31248/JPHD2019.033   |   Article Number: 671CDD071   |   Vol.2 (4) - December 2019

Received Date: 07 June 2019   |   Accepted Date: 10 December 2019  |   Published Date: 30 December 2019

Authors:  Mohammed A. B.* , Mokuolu O. A. and Adewumi M. O.

Keywords: Nigeria., rainfall, Crop productivity, farming households, malaria incidence

This study was conducted to establish a direct link of malaria incidence and rainfall pattern on farmer’s productivity. In a cohort of farming households in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, rainfall pattern, malaria incidence and household farming activities were carefully monitored on a weekly basis over an 8 months period (May to December, 2012). Malaria diagnosis was confirmed among febrile household members using Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein II (PfHRP2) malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) kit (Parachek®). Data was collected on the factors of production as well as on the number of kilograms produced by the households for a range of crops such as maize, sorghum, cowpea, cassava, pepper, and yams. Data was also collected on febrile episodes among family members and other relatives within the households and on rainfall pattern. Descriptive statistics and production function were used to analyze the data. A total of 72 households participated in the study involving 432 household members. Malaria incidence was varied with rainfall pattern and crop productivity. Most of the farmers operate on a small scale and mainly cultivated cassava and yam. Malaria affected at least three-quarter of the household’s members. The study area recorded an average malaria prevalence of 103 per 1000, 7 rainy days and 256 mm of rainfall. Rainfall days and intensity was highest in the months of October and July respectively. Land, family labour, seed, and fertilizer are the major factors influencing crop production in the study area. The study revealed that cassava, yam, maize and pepper outputs were higher for households with a low incidence of malaria compared to high incidence households except for sorghum. Number of rain days in the study area is important to mosquito breeding which translate to increased malaria incidence thereby having negative effect on crop productivity. Creating awareness on the use of mosquito net and targeted seasonal malaria control strategies should be applied during the peak malaria prevalence period to reduce malaria incidence and enhance agricultural productivity in the study area.

Adesina, F. A. (2005). Geo-information and natural resources exploitation in Africa: United Nations Economic and Social Council Paper delivered in the fourth meeting of the Committee on Development Frontier Production Function Model Information, Addis Ababa on 23-28 April.
 
Adesina, F. A., Siyanbola, W. O., Oketola, F. A., Pelemo, D. A., Momodu, S. A., Adegbulugbe, A. O., & Ojo, L. O. (1999). Potential of agroforestry techniques in mitigating CO2 emissions in Nigeria: some preliminary estimates. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 8(2), 163-173.
Crossref
 
Asante, F. A. (2009). The links between Malaria and agriculture: Reducing Malaria Prevalence and increasing agricultural production in Endemic Countries presented at a Conference on Improving Vector Control Measures for the Integrated Fight against Malaria: From Research to Implementation. Paris, France.
 
Briët, O. J., Vounatsou, P., Gunawardena, D. M., Galappaththy, G. N., & Amerasinghe, P. H. (2008). Temporal correlation between malaria and rainfall in Sri Lanka. Malaria Journal, 7, Article number 77.
Crossref
 
Chima, R. I., Goodman, C. A., & Mills, A. (2003). The economic impact of malaria in Africa: a critical review of the evidence. Health Policy, 63(1), 17-36.
Crossref
 
Devi, N. P., & Jauhari, R. K. (2006). Climatic variables and malaria incidence in Dehradun, Uttaranchal, India. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases, 43, 21-28.
 
Federal Ministry of Health (FMH) (2007). National anti- malaria treatment policy, Federal ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria.
 
Fink, G., & Masiye, F. (2015). Health and agricultural productivity: Evidence from Zambia. Journal of Health Economics, 42(0), 151-164.
Crossref
 
Hay, S. I., Okiro, E. A., Gething, P. W., Patil, A. P., Tatem, A. J., Guerra, C. A., & Snow, R. W. (2010). Estimating the global clinical burden of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in 2007. PLoS Med, 7(6), e1000290.
Crossref
 
Huang, F., Zhou, S., Zhang, S., Wang, H., & Tang, L. (2011). Temporal correlation analysis between malaria and meteorological factors in Motuo County, Tibet. Malaria Journal, 10, Article number 54.
Crossref
 
Iwuafor, A. A., Egwuatu, C. C., Nnachi, A. U., Ita, I. O., Ogban, G. I., Akujobi, C. N., & Egwuatu, T. O. (2016). Malaria Parasitaemia and the use of insecticide-treated nets (INTs) for malaria control amongst under-5 year old children in Calabar, Nigeria. BMC Infectious Diseases, 16, Article number 151.
Crossref
 
Jimoh, A., Sofola, O., Petu, A., & Okorosobo, T. (2007). Quantifying the economic burden of malaria in Nigeria using the willingness to pay approach. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation, 5, Article number 6.
Crossref
 
Josephson, A. L., Ricker-Gilbert, J., & Florax, R. J. (2014). How does population density influence agricultural intensification and productivity? Evidence from Ethiopia. Food Policy, 48, 142-152.
Crossref
 
Laah, J. G., & Zubairu, M. (2008). An examination of the trend and seasonal variation in the incidence of malaria in Gwagwalada, Nigeria. In: Bisong, F. E. (ed). Geography and the millennium development goals: Translating vision into reality in Nigeria. Index Books Publishers, Calabar. Pp. 537-541.
 
Mboera, L. E., Shayo, E. H., Senkoro, K. P., Rumisha, S. F., Mlozi, M. R., & Mayala, B. K. (2010). Knowledge, perceptions and practices of farming communities on linkages between malaria and agriculture in Mvomero District, Tanzania. Acta Tropica, 113(2), 139-144.
Crossref
 
Mohammed, A. B., Mokuolu O.A., & Adewumi, M. O. (2019). Health status of farming households and crop productivity: Evidence from malaria infected households in Nigeria. Paper presented at the 4th Annual Agricultural, Nutritional and Health Academy Week Research Conference in Hyderabad, India 24-28 June 2019.
 
Mohammed, A. B., Muhammad-Lawal, A., Besong, E. B., Ayanlere, A. F., & Olorunfemi, A. S (2013). Economic assessment of okra production in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. Paper presented at the 27th Annual Conference of Farm management Association of Nigeria in Ilorin, Nigeria 25-30 August, 2013.
 
Mokuolu, O. A., Ntadom, G. N., Ajumobi, O. O., Alero, R. A., Wammanda, R. D., Adedoyin, O. T., Okafor, H. U., Alabi, A. D., Odey, F. A., Agomo, C. O., & Edozieh, K. U. (2016). Status of the use and compliance with malaria rapid diagnostic tests in formal private health facilities in Nigeria. Malaria Journal, 15, Article number 4.
Crossref
 
National Population Commission (NPC) (2006). National Population and Housing Census, National Population Commission Abuja, Nigeria.
 
Shayo, E. H., Rumisha, S. F., Mlozi, M. R., Bwana, V. M., Mayala, B. K., Malima, R. C., Mlacha, T., & Mboera, L. E. (2015). Social determinants of malaria and health care seeking patterns among rice farming and pastoral communities in Kilosa District in central Tanzania. Acta Tropica, 144, 41-49.
Crossref
 
Singh, N., & Sharma, V. P. (2002). Patterns of rainfall and malaria in Madhya Pradesh, central India. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 96(4), 349-359.
Crossref
 
Snow, R. W. (2015). Global malaria eradication and the importance of Plasmodium falciparum epidemiology in Africa. BMC Medicine, 13, Article number 23.
Crossref
 
Tesfazghi, K., Hill, J., Jones, C., Ranson, H., & Worrall, E. (2015). National malaria vector control policy: an analysis of the decision to scale-up larviciding in Nigeria. Health Policy and Planning, 31(1), 91-101.
Crossref
 
White, N. J., Pukrittayakamee, S., Hien, T. T., Faiz, M. A., Mokuolu, O. A., & Dondorp, A. M. (2014). Malaria. The Lancet, 383(9918), 723-735.
Crossref
 
WHO (1998). A vision for all. Geneva, Switzerland: The World Health report, Life in the 21st century.
 
WHO (2006). The role of laboratory diagnosis to support malaria disease management focus on the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) in areas of high transmission Geneva, World Health Organization.
 
WHO (2008). World malaria report. Geneva.
 
WHO (2015a). Malaria basic facts.
 
WHO (2015b). World Malaria Report 2014.
Link