The Malaria Burden and Agricultural Output in Nigeria.

Using the production function approach to quantifying a disease burden, this study evaluates the malaria burden on the Nigerian agricultural sector. Its results show that the economic burden of malaria, in terms of lost agricultural output, may be as high as N 3.953 million for every reported case of malaria per 100, 000 persons and therefore colossal. This together with evidence from other related studies suggest that the agricultural sector bears about 75 per cent of the direct economic burden of malaria in Nigeria. This translates to about 3 per cent of the real GDP that is lost annually in agricultural outputs to the malaria disease. This being the case, the government is advised to make the rural areas, where majority of farmers reside, a priority in its malaria control efforts. Keywords: Malaria burden; Nigerian agricultural output; and malaria control efforts. Agrosearch Vol. 7 (1&2) 2005: pp. 43-5