EFFECT OF ILL HEALTH AND COPING STRATEGIES ON RICE PRODUCING FARMERS IN YALA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigated the effect of ill health on rice farmers in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State. Multi stage sampling techniques was used to obtain primary data from a cross section of 90 rice farmers in the study area through the use of questionnaire. The data was analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The study revealed that the various control interventions used by the respondents in the study area include health treatment (42.2%), traditional herbs (13.3%), labour employment (12.2%), hired labour (31.1%), access to health care service (1.1%). Farm size, level of education, household size, had positive significant influence on the productivity of rice farmers while age, days of incapacitation, ill health had negative significant influence on rice producing farmers. It was recommended that there should be improve access to affordable healthcare services, such as mobile clinics or community health workers, and provision of education campaigns on the symptoms and treatment of ill health.