Effect of Workdays Lost to Presumptive Malaria on Households’ Poverty Status among Food Crop Farming Households in Rural South West, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of Workdays Lost to Presumptive Malaria (WLPM) on the poverty status of Food Crop Farming Households (FCMHs) in rural South West, Nigeria. The primary data were collected with a well-structured questionnaire administered on 395 FCMHs randomly selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and two-stage probit least square regression model at α0.05. The results show that majority of the households were male-headed, age was 56.41 ±9.34 years. Years of schooling and farming experience were 4.80±4.65 and 29.53 ±10.78, respectively. Only 37.2%, 45.1% and 24.6% have access to electricity, extension services and agricultural credit, respectively. The annual farm income was N452,711.70±153,704.70 (equivalent to N37,725.97 per month). In a year, an average of 73.49 workdays (valued at N58,358.5) was lost to presumptive malaria per household. The Mean Per Capita Household Expenditure (MPCHHE) per month was N5,605.89, the poverty line (i.e 2/3 of MPCHHE) was N3,737.26. FGT model results indicate that poverty incidence, depth and severity were 0.425, 0.031 and 0.004, respectively. The incidence of poverty increased with an increased in WLPM. In the 2SPLS analysis, the coefficient of WLPM was positive (β=0.0607) and statistically significant at (p < 0.05), implies that an increase in WLPM increases the probability of households being in poverty. The result of the test of exogeneity suggests that the WLPM is truly endogenous to household poverty status. Therefore, poverty interventions should adequately incorporate strategies on malaria prevention and control; and be extended to rural areas as a way of poverty reduction among the rural populace. Also, the national health insurance scheme needs to incorporate rural farming households and people in the informal sector to reduce the out-of-pocket spending on malaria treatment as a poverty reduction strategy.