EFFECTS OF PERCEIVED HEALTH STATUS OF FARMERS ON THEIR LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT IN COCOA PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the effects of perceived health status of cocoa farmers on their level of involvement in cocoa production activities in Ondo State. It examined the personal characteristics of the cocoa farmers and their perceived health status. A multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoa farmers for the study. Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentage were used to explain the socio- economic variables such as access to health care services and level of involvement in cocoa production activities. A validated and structured interview schedule was used to collect information from the respondents. Primary data collected were presented using descriptive statistics. Chi-square analysis was used to test for the existence of relationship between perceived health status and some socio-economic variables. Pearson Products Moment Correlation was used to determine the significant relationship between respondents’ perceived health status and their level of involvement in cocoa production activities, while the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypothesis of the study. Data revealed that majority (64.2%) of the respondents were male. Most (46.7%) of the Respondents had a mean age of 45 years old. Majority (61.0%) had a form of formal education, and 76.7% of the respondents were married. Majority (81.7%) of the respondents were Christian. Level of involvement in Cocoa production activities was low for 50.8% farm location. In this research work, Level of involvement looked at the extent at which each respondents were involved in cocoa production activities in the study area and it was discovered that (50.8%) of the respondents had low level of involvement and (49.2%) of the respondents had high level of involvement in cocoa production activities in the study area. Level of health status was low for majority (62.5%) and 49.2% had a low level of involvement. Study revealed that the age of respondents ((r = - 0.45, p ≤ 0.05), age of farm (r= - 0.241, p < 0.05), Education level (r = 0.357, p < 0.05) and cocoa output (r = 0.195, p < 0.005) were significant at 5% level of significance indicating that they play an important role in determining the health status of the respondents in the study area. Level of involvement was significantly influenced by age (r =0.23, p =0.01), and farm size (r=-0.19, p=0.04). There was no significant difference in the level of involvement of the respondents with a low or a high health status (mean Difference = 19.95, p ≥ 0.05). There was no significant relationship between personal characteristics of the respondents and there level of involvement in cocoa production activities so hypothesis one was accepted. For the age of respondents, Age of farm, Education level and Cocoa output there was a significant relationship between them so the null hypothesis’ were rejected. From the findings of the study, it can be deduced that though the level of health status of the respondents were low, it did not have any significant influence on their level of involvement in cocoa production activities.