Information Sources And Use Of Traditional Medicine Among Farmers

Information Sources And Use Of Traditional Medicine Among Farmers

Abstract

The study investigated how farmers in Nigeria’s Edo and Delta States obtained their information and used traditional medicine. It looked at the farmers’ access to information, certain illnesses that affect agricultural production, the severity of the illness’ impact on production, the reasons respondents used traditional medicine, how effectively they thought it worked to treat their illnesses, the challenges farmers face in terms of accessing and using traditional medicine in the study areas, and the challenges they face in terms of production. In order to collect data for the study, a well-structured questionnaire was utilized to choose respondents from three communities in Edo State, which produced 120 respondents, and five villages in Delta State, which produced 100 respondents. The demographic factors taken into account in the study included sex, age, marital status, religion, level of education, and size of the farm. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, T-test, frequency distribution counts, mean, and Spearmen rho’s correlation were used in the data analysis, and the results show that the main information sources include radio (mean=2.80), television (mean=2.68), neighbors (m), household size, labor force, membership of cooperatives/associations, social group belong to, and leadership experience in the study area.

The farmers in Edo and Delta States, respectively, were affected by the majority of illnesses, including malaria, cough, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint and back pain, hepatitis, diarrhea, ulcer, indigestion, and pneumonia. The research in the states of Edo and Delta showed that diseases had an impact on farm size, yield, and income. Weeding revealed the severity of the condition in the states of Delta and Edo (mean = 2.66), respectively. Farmers’ use of traditional medicine was found to be motivated by the fact that it is inexpensive, culturally based, non-addictive, readily available, natural, and allergy or side effect free. The study also demonstrates that traditional medicine was successful in treating cough (mean = 2.70), diabetes (mean = 2.63) and malaria (mean = 2.50) in Edo State, while it was successful in treating cough (mean = 2.95), diabetes (mean = 2.43) and malaria (mean = 2.50) in Delta State. The most significant production-related obstacles for Edo and Delta States were related to poor roads (mean = 4.86), low income (mean = 4.75), no reliable water supply (mean = 4.73), low yield (mean = 4.58), lack of knowledge about traditional medicine (mean = 4.50), time spent caring for the sick (mean = 4.44), reduced labor (mean = 4.18), and absenteeism from work (mean = 4.12). Delta State also received the same outcome. With a mean greater than 3.00, all restrictions on use and access to traditional medicine were severe in both Edo and Delta States. To increase the accessibility of traditional medicine to farmers, it is advised that greater understanding of this topic be given top importance.

Chapter Table of Contents

Page title ———i

Certification———ii

Dedication———iii

Acknowledgement——–iv

Page numbers: ——v

Table of contents ——–viii

Abstract———ix

Chapiter 1

1.0Introduction——–C1

1.1 Historical Background ——1

1.2Analysis of the Issue ——-6

1.3 Study Objectives —– 7

1.4 Study’s hypotheses — — 8

1.5Justification——–8

Apartment Two

2.0Review of Literature —– 10

2.1 Gender Roles in Agriculture — 24

Hevea brasiliensis rubber (2.2)——26

2.3 Rubber Botany———27

2.4 Soil and Climate Requirements —–28

Section Three

Methodology——–39

3.1 Study Area and Purpose —–39

3.2 Study Participants ——–40

3.3 Sampling Methods — — 40

3.4 Data Collection Tool — — 41

3.5 Data Analysis Methods —– 41

3.6 Variable Measurement —– 42

3.6.1Respondent socioeconomic characteristics — 42

3.6.2Evaluation of Activities/Tasks Related to Rubber Production 42

3.6.3 Information on the sources of production — 42

3.6.4 Use of rubber technologies — 43

3.6.5 Perceived Elements Affecting Production of Rubber —43

3.6.6 Suggestions for overcoming the output limitations — 43

Chapiter Iv

Results and Discussion: 4

4.1 Respondents’ Personal Qualities — 44

4.1.2 Respondents’ average age was 44.

Gender 4.1.3 ——–44

4.1.4Respondents’ marital status—–45

4.1.5 Respondents’ Religion —–45

Household Size: 45 (4.1.6)

Farm Size, 4.1.7, is 46

Farm Ownership 4.1.8 —— 46

4.1.9 Respondents’ Educational Level —–46

4.1.10 Other Work-Related Occupations——-47

Chapiter 5

Summary, Verdict, and Suggestions — 73

5.1Summary——–73

5.2Conclusion——–73

5.3Recommendations——-74

References——–75

Annex 1 ———–80

Number Of Tables

Personal traits of rubber farmers, Table 1 — 48

Table 2 shows how men, women, and children are involved in the manufacture of rubber.

Table 3: Involvement Patterns——53

Table 4: Information on Production Sources —–55

Table 5: Technology Adoption Frequency Distribution for Rubber Technologies

Adopted——–57

Table 6 shows the adoption rates of several rubber production technologies.

Benefits of Using Improved Rubber Technology, Table 7 – 60

Perceived Factors Affecting Rubber Production, Table 8

Table 9: Recommendations for Addressing Constraints —–66

Table 10: Correlation between the Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Respondents and the

Gender Participation in Rubber Productions—68

Group Statistics (Table 11): 70

Table 12 compares how men and women participate in the rubber industry.

Manufacturing ——–71

Abstract

Despite recently discovered technology that could improve Nigeria’s rubber output, the amount of production has not greatly increased. The study evaluated how rubber farmers in Edo State, Nigeria, perceived gender roles and the use of technology in the industry. Examining gender roles and technological adoption in rubber production in Edo State are the main goals.

120 rubber farmers were chosen as respondents for the study using a straightforward random sample procedure. Descriptive statistics like frequency counts, percentages, averages, and standard deviation were used to examine the data. The inferential statistics employed were those of the Pearson product moment correlation. Results show that 58.3% of rubber farmers are men and 41.7% are women. Between the ages of 41 and 50, 44.2% of the population is educated through the tertiary level. In addition, 59.2% of farmers have farms with less than 5 hectares, and 85.0% are married. The main sources of production knowledge included Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (x = 2.86), Friends/Relatives (x = 2.18) and Radio/Television (x = 2.17) as well.

In the research area, intercropping with arable crops was least popular while use of clean coagulating pans was most popular. Only age (r=0.371: P0.05) and farm ownership (r=0.036: P0.05) was significant among the perceived factors impacting rubber production, which were low latex prices (x=3.69), a lack of land (x=3.66), and credit for production (x=3.61). In the research area, values of 0.045, 0.046, 0.049, 0.044, 0.006, and 0.005 are significant.

It was determined that female participation in rubber production, easy access to materials, and the general nature of the activities engaged in processing areas all contributed to this conclusion. It was suggested that farmers be given advice on how to get loans from financial institutions and that the government’s land reform program be strengthened to make it easier for small-scale farmers to access land.

Chapiter 1

1.0 Introduction

Background Information

As is well known, traditional medicine is a cultural treasure of many communities around the globe. It includes all forms of folk medicine, unconventional medicine, and, in fact, any therapeutic method that has been passed down through a community or ethnic group’s tradition (Adesina, 2003).

Traditional medicine is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1976) as the totality of all knowledge and practices, whether explicable or not, used in the diagnosis, prevention, and elimination of physical, mental, or social imbalance and relying solely on hands-on experience and observation passed down orally or in writing from generation to generation. With these definitions, traditional medicine includes a number of different types of medications and therapies, including herbal medications, massage, homeopathy, mud baths, wax baths, reflexology, dance therapies, self-exercise therapies, radiation and vibration, osteopathy, chiropractics, aroma-therapy, preventive medicine, radiant heat therapy, etc. It does demonstrate the need for eminent, skilled, and respectable traditional healers to care for the thronging populace in a vast country the size of Nigeria with a high population and diverse culture and traditions.

A herb farmer is typically a farm where herbs are produced for market sale. A farmer engages in agriculture and raises living organisms for food or raw materials for medical purposes (Wikipedia, free encyclopedia). According to Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia, herbs can be used for culinary, medicinal, or aromatic purposes. The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recognized several traditional health practitioners’ herbs.

In the 21st century, traditional medicine has a crucial role to play, particularly in the prevention and treatment of diseases like malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS, and others, according to the WHO. Thus, it unveiled its first-ever comprehensive traditional medicine plan in 2002 (Adesina, 2008). Development of national policies on the assessment and regulation of traditional medicine; Improvement of the product and practice’s quality and evidence base; Assuring the accessibility and affordability of traditional medicine, including necessary herbal remedies; Promoting the therapeutically sound use of traditional medicine by providers and consumers; and Documenting the use of traditional medicine and remedies to treat physical illness as recognized practices.

The World Health Organization defines traditional medicine as a variety of health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs that include animal, plant, and other mineral-based medicine, spiritual therapies, manual techniques, and exercise applied alone or in combination to maintain well-being as well as to treat, diagnose, or prevent disease (WHO, 2001). Buor (1993) contends that traditional medicine entails the use of folk population, particularly of unorthodox and unscientific ways for curing and prevention of diseases in his study on the impact of traditional medicine in the health care delivery services in Ghana. The use of the word “Traditional” has been questioned because it suggests some degree of stagnation or retrogression (Hougen et al., 1998).

Indigenous people, tribes, and cultures around the world have developed systems of traditional medicine over many centuries. The community still relies on these treatments since they are generally effective and inexpensive. According to the WHO, up to 80% of the population in the African region relies on traditional medicine for some part of primary health care, and the WHO believes that over 60% of the world’s population uses herbal remedies to treat their illnesses (WHO 2002).

In fact, traditional medicine as it already exists will continue to play a crucial and permanent role in the people’s own health care in rural communities in the states of Edo and Delta, as well as in other developing nations and beyond.

Traditional healers employ a variety of techniques, from magic to bio-medical ones like fasting and dieting, bathing, massage, and surgery. The “bleed-cupping” technique is frequently used to treat migraines, coughs, abscesses, and pleurisy. An herbal ointment is then administered, followed by a herbal medication. For headache relief, some cultures additionally apply hot ointment to the patient’s eyelid. By sipping and inhaling herbal steam, malaria can be healed. Native Americans had a reputation for using the fat from Boa constrictor snakes to treat gout and rheumatism, as well as relieving chest pain when applied topically.

Over the years, illnesses have been a plague and a menace to humanity. Since the beginning of time, people from many cultural backgrounds have employed various herbal plants, plant extracts, animal products, and mineral substances as a means of disease prevention and health promotion (Curtis and Taket, 1996), as well as to care for and treat ill health.

Farmers in the states of Edo and Delta may suffer from the following ailments:

Ailments

Malaria,

Coughs

Ulcers

Diabetics

elevated blood pressure

Back and joint discomfort

Hepatitis

Dysentery

Pneumonia

Indigestion

According to Dr. Uwadiae of the Central Hospital in Benin City, Edo State, farmers are less likely to have arthritic conditions. a Pax Herbal Magazine interview.

Some traditional healers are now registered with NAFDAC, for example.

BK-A7-0773L Pax Herbal

Logotin by Pax Herbal – A70913L

cough medicine with herbs Pax, 04-7504L

A7 – 0342L Pax Herbal Skin Ointment

30 × 10g of the Datuma D.B Mixture, 04 – 8264L

Herbal Powder – 04 – 8464L Kabal S.C.

(source: manufacturers’ List and NAFDAC, 2011).

1.2 Statement of Issues

The health care system plays a significant part in keeping people healthy. The purpose of the study was to determine whether rural residents of Delta and Edo States preferred the conventional medical system more often than not.

Illness is a significant contributor to both worker and farmer absenteeism from the workplace and from the farm. Due to lost working days, farmers’ productivity and income from farm produce are significantly reduced, which in turn raises their poverty level. Curative efforts are employed to prevent this, however in recent years, some farmers appear to have made a dramatic switch from conventional medications to herbal remedies for treating their ailments.

Therefore, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of traditional medicine preference among farmers in Edo and Delta States as a researchable topic. Most Nigerians, especially those in rural areas, lack access to orthodox medicine, and it is estimated that over 75% of the population still prefers to solve their health problems by consulting traditional healers (Awudu, 2000). In areas where access to orthodox medicine does exist, the price of imported drugs and other goods used for medicines is rising. Furthermore, many rural areas place a lot of trust in traditional medicine, especially the unexplainable portion, because they believe it represents the knowledge of their forefathers and acknowledges their socio-cultural and religious backgrounds, which orthodox medicine seems to reject. According to a recent study or analysis, more individuals around the world are embracing traditional medicine.

According to a 1996 World Health Organization report (WHO Policy and Activities in the Field of Traditional Medicine), there were 120,000 medical doctors in China compared to 2,000 traditional practitioners.

Therefore, this study aims to investigate or ascertain farmers’ preferences in Edo and Delta States, as well as the factors that influence such preferences. The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has encouraged some practitioners of traditional medicine by registering traditional medicines, approving the use of traditional medicines, and approving the use of traditional medicines with approved NAFDAC numbers. This is also noteworthy and interesting. This is done in appreciation of conventional medicine’s effectiveness.

These facts lead to the following inquiries, which this study aims to answer:

What socioeconomic traits characterize farmers?

What are the respondents’ preferences for and access to sources of information on conventional medicine?

What illness does traditional medicine treat for respondents?

What impact do illnesses have on the agricultural output of the respondent?

What are respondents’ preferences and how successful is traditional medicine?

What limitations do respondents confront in their farming activities and using traditional medicine to cure illnesses?

1.3 Study’s objectives

This study’s main goal is to investigate whether farmers in the study area prefer traditional medicine for treating illnesses.

The following are the study’s particular goals:

investigate the socioeconomic traits of the farmers in the research area;

look at the respondents’ preferences for and access to sources of knowledge about traditional medicine;

specify the condition for which responders use traditional medicine;

explore how the illness affects the respondents’ agricultural output;

determine the efficacy of conventional medication and the preferences of the respondents; and

Identify the challenges that respondents confront in their farming activities and the use of traditional medicine to cure illness.

1.4 Study’s hypotheses

Farmers’ socioeconomic traits and their usage of conventional medicine do not significantly correlate.

Farmers’ socioeconomic traits and their access to sources of information on traditional medicine are not significantly different from one another.

There is no correlation between a farmer’s socioeconomic status and the challenges they confront in their farming endeavors or their use of traditional medicine to treat illnesses.

Due to illness, there is no discernible difference in the yield and revenue of farmers.

Socioeconomic traits and farmers’ perceptions of the efficacy of traditional medicine are not significantly correlated.

Ailments of the body have no discernible impact on a farmer’s output.

1.5 Study Justification

The following are some of the ways why this research is important to the government, farmers, and the general public:

It will aid the government in realizing the value and potency of conventional medications, allowing it to include their use and acceptance into its planning procedures. Due to accessibility and affordability, it will help farmers, especially those in rural areas, rely more heavily on and favor traditional treatment.

Last but not least, it will make traditional medicine more relevant and useful to the broader public, especially to those who view it as outdated and fetishistic.