Valuing Malaria Morbidity Risk in Bakolori Irrigation Scheme

Abstract

The incidence of malaria continued to be a recurring issue across the developing countries, in spite of concerted efforts at reduction and eradication by governments, national, regional and international development organizations. The resistance of malaria to chemical control, further compounded issues, suggesting the need for environmentally sustainable prophylactic measures. Thus, the study examined irrigators’ willingness to pay for morbidity risk reduction from malaria, arising from irrigation and drainage services, estimated the cost of illness and implicit value of malaria risk reduction and identified the drivers of malaria morbidity risk reduction. We employed the stated preference approach, single-bound dichotomous choice, with open-ended questions in eliciting responses from 600 irrigators under Bakolori Irrigation Scheme (BIS), Zamfara State, Nigeria. The study deployed the risk reduction valuation model, ordered logit regression analysis, chi2 and descriptive statistics for data analysis. We concluded that estimates from the willingness to pay (WTP) and cost of illness (COI) approaches to risk valuation differs considerably, as revealed by values of US$6.0 and US$ 82.86 respectively, while the implicit value of malaria risks reduction for 1 in 1,000 cases of malaria morbidity risk reduction was US$6,599.92 per season. The drivers of morbidity risk reduction from malaria were income, marital status and days absent from farming due to malaria illness. The study recommended intensive sensitization of irrigators/Water Users’ Associations (WUAs) by APEX WUAs and BIS on malaria morbidity risk, in addition to effective irrigation and drainage services, to minimize the spread of malaria. It was further recommended that the implicit value of malaria risk reduction obtained can serve as “Benefit Transfer” estimate for economic analysis of irrigation intervention in sub-Saharan Africa and in other developing nations with data challenge, following appropriate adjustments.