Perceived Implications Of Manual Farming On The Health Of Farmers In The Rural Areas Of Ekiti State
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Perceived Implications Of Manual Farming On The Health Of Farmers In The Rural Areas Of Ekiti State
Abstract: This study examined the impact of manual farming on the health of farmers in rural Ekiti state. The study’s entire population of 200 residents of Ikere, Ekiti State, was selected at random. The researcher employed questionnaires to collect data.
The descriptive survey research design was used for this investigation. The survey included 133 respondents, who were married men, married women, youths, and farmers respectively. The acquired data were displayed in tables and analysed with simple percentages and frequencies.
Chapter one: Introduction
Background of the study.
Agricultural output is critical to the overall well-being of the global population. This is why the country prioritises agriculture and works hard to develop and defend it in order to ensure long-term food production and industrial expansion.
Agriculture has historically been the primary source of employment in Nigeria, employing more than 60% of the population, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s.
Despite the large percentage of manpower in agriculture even in the twenty-first century, the majority of farming chores are carried out manually using indigenous tools.
The use of primitive implements makes agricultural output in rural areas laborious. Various cultural activities involve the use of implements such as a shovel, hoe, and cutlass. Farmworker health issues include muscle and eye injuries, as well as dislocations and fractures.
A agricultural procedure such as plant protection (the use of herbicides, insecticides, and fertiliser) that is operated by pressure through nozzles or centrifugal force, if not done appropriately, can cause skin irritation.
Other farm procedures performed manually that might have a negative impact on farmers’ health include irrigation, weeding, harvesting, threshing, and winnowing. Physical labour has a significant impact on farmers’ health.
According to the National Centre for Farmworker Health, “hard physical work and working with heavy machines are promoters of musculoskeletal injuries in farm work”. (National Centre for Farm Worker Health, 2013).
Health and agriculture are interdependent and affect each other. If rural farmers are not in good health, they would be unable to practise agriculture successfully and efficiently. Agriculture promotes health by supplying food and nourishment to people, as well as income that may be used for health care.
Mechanical ploughing, plastic mulches, and chemical fertilisers, among other things, are used in modern farming, allowing for significant increases in production. The majority of farmers in rural Nigeria are peasant farmers who are unable to buy some of the more modern equipment.
Much work remains to be done in Nigeria’s rural areas to avoid injuries and enhance the health of individuals who live there. Rural farmers have a higher prevalence of numerous acute and chronic health issues, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, arthritis, skin disorders, stress, body pains, headache, on-the-farm Injury, snake bites, and biological dust, among other things.
The majority of these health issues occur because farmers work manually with little or no mechanisation or safety precautions. Various ways of carriage involved carrying burdens on the head, hips, back, and/or shoulders. Melvin (2017).
Statement of the Problem
According to the Fourth European Working Conditions Survey conducted in 2005, 35% of all workers are at danger of lifting or transporting heavy loads for at least a quarter of their working hours. The highest exposure rates are reported among skilled farm and fishery workers, craft and allied trades workers, plant and machine operators, and assemblers.
Young workers are allegedly the most vulnerable of any age group (EWCS, 2005). It is therefore critical to understand the effects of manual farming on the health of farmers in rural areas of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
The study’s objectives
The study’s aims are:
To determine the consequences of manual farming on the health of farmers in rural areas of Ekiti state.
To identify farming activities practiced manually in the rural areas of Ekiti state.
To determine the attitude of rural farmers towards manual farming.
To determine the health problems caused by manual farming.
To determine farmers’ access to agricultural extension services.
Research Hypotheses
To ensure the study’s success, the researcher developed the following research hypotheses:
H0: Manual farming has little effect on the health of farmers in the rural areas of Ekiti state.
H1: Manual farming has repercussions for the health of farmers in rural Ekiti state.
H02: Manual farming has no health risks.
H2: Manual farming poses health risks.
Significance of the Study
The study will be extremely beneficial to students and farmers. The study will provide a comprehensive picture of the perceived effects of manual farming on the health of farmers in rural Ekiti state. The study will also act as a reference for other researchers who would embark on the similar studies.
Scope and limitations of the study
The study’s scope includes the perceived effects of manual farming on farmers’ health in rural areas of Ekiti State. The researcher faces various constraints that limit the scope of the investigation;
a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The researcher has insufficient research material, which limits the investigation.
b) TIME: The study’s time frame does not allow for broader coverage because the researcher must balance other academic activities and examinations with the study.
Financial constraints- Insufficient funds tend to restrict the researcher’s efficiency in accessing relevant resources, literature, or information, as well as in data collecting (internet, questionnaire, and interview).
Definition of Terms
Manual farming: The majority of agricultural activities include manual material handling chores (e.g., lifting, lowering, tugging, pushing, and carrying heavy loads), which can lead to musculoskeletal strains, falls, and spine injuries.
A farmer is someone who cultivates land or crops or produces animals (such as livestock or fish).
A rural area is an open expanse of land with few residences or other structures and a low population density. A rural area’s population density is extremely low. Many people reside in cities, sometimes known as urban areas. Their residences and businesses are quite close together.
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