EFFECT OF AGROCHEMICAL RELATED ILLNESS ON TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF LOWLAND RICE FARMERS IN NIGER AND OGUN STATES NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of agrochemical related illness on technical efficiency of lowland rice farmers in Niger and Ogun States of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to obtain primary data from a cross section of 304 rice farmers in both states through the use of questionnaire/interview guide. Data were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics, cost of illness (COI) estimation, data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Tobit regression. The study revealed that cough was the most (58.10%) prevalent health symptom associated with the use of agrochemicals in the study area and that 46.70% of the rice farmers relied on self-medication. Also, the COI estimation revealed that a total of N4,273 was expended per treatment. The results of the DEA showed that rice farmers in the study area were technically inefficient with a mean score of 0.54, and this was influenced by age (𝛼 - 0.002, p < 0.05), sex (𝛼 - 0.243, p < 0.01), distance from home to farm (𝛼 - 0.007, p < 0.10), number of farm plots (𝛼 - −0.007, p < 0.10), cost of illness due to agrochemicals use (𝛼 - 5.510 p < 0.10), location (𝛼 - −0.298, p < 0.01), farm size (𝛼 - 0.112, p < 0.01), and use of fertilizer (𝛼 - 0.308, p < 0.01). The study concluded that farmers in the study area were exposed to agrochemical related illnesses and that the exposure influenced their technical efficiency negatively. The study, therefore, recommends the inclusion/enforcement of safety and health information pertaining to agrochemical use on extension packages. Also, policies on land reforms should be tailored towards reducing land fragmentation.