Project topics and materials on ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS OF HIVAIDS AMONG MEN, WOMEN AND YOUTH IN CROP PRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
(AIDS) is a threatening pandemic that has eroded many lives especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS has killed about 2.8million people in the world-wide, 38.6million people living with HIV, while 4.1million people became newly infected with HIV/AIDS by 2005 (UNAIDS, 2006). AIDS kills mostly young people in the age group 15-49, thus depriving many nations of the young and most productive people.
Crop production is the actual cultivation of both food and cash crops for a livelihood. Crop production is a major economic activity in the rural areas undertaking by men, women and youth simultaneously (UNAIDS, 2002).
HIV/AIDS spread has brought a significant stress on the crop production affecting the crop output ,income and level of living of farmers negatively which posed a major challenge to the economic development of the nation and livelihood generally (La‟ah, 2003). Hence, the study is limited in the scope of the effects of HIV/AIDS among men, women and youth in crop production in Jema‟a and Giwa local government areas of Kaduna State .These two areas have HIV/AIDS epidemics and also involves in crop production for a livelihood. The study examined reasons for the spread of HIV/AIDS, prevalent level of HIV/AIDS among the respondents ,established the effects of HIV/AIDS on crops output , income and level of living , coping strategies adopted and constraints faced among the HIV/AIDS affected farmers.
1.2 Role of Crop production in the Nigeria Economy
Crop production is often central to the rural economy on national development. It is one of the most important sectors in many developing countries. In Nigeria, it provides a living or survival mechanisms for up to 2/3 of the 80% of the population, particularly among rural women, men and youth (UNIAIDS, 2002).
The Nigerian economy is predominately agricultural and the agricultural production sector is a major contributor to the country‟s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). For example in 2005, it contributed about 40% to Gross Domestic Product (CBN, 2005) and it employed over 60% of the total labour force in the country. Crop production supplies the bulk of labour force in Nigerian economy. It also supplies the raw materials to local industries as well as international industries. Particularly women were seen to be providing 60-80% of the labour in food production and a substantial contribution in cash crops as well as in animal production in many African‟s countries (UN/ECA, 1974). Apart from been mothers and wives and taking charge of domestic sectors, women contributed substantially to the production and distribution of goods and services (UN/ECA, 1974).
Although men and women participate in most crop production tasks, men
predominate in land preparation and ploughing, women are entirely responsible for planting, harvesting, processing and marketing of food crops. While the youth participate in crop production base on gender, the male children goes with men while the female with the mothers in their performances (World Bank, 1996).
Ironically, despite these roles, women and children have remain seriously disadvantaged with respect to access to health, medication, finance and credit, agricultural extension services, other productive resources, training opportunities and developmental benefits (World Bank, 1996).
1.3 The Role of Men, Women and Youth in Crop Production
The agricultural industry has been hit the hardest by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With 28.5 million people mostly farmers living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan region, the annual import of grains increased from 8.5 to 18.2 million metric tons between 1980 and 1999. Malnutrition has increased from a low level of 13% to a high level of 75% in many subSaharan Africa countries (UNIAIDS, 2002). Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2000) has estimated that in the 27 most affected African countries, 7 million crop production workers have died from AIDS since 1985, and 16 million death are likely to occur in the next two decades if nothing is done to fight the disease in the sub-Saharan region (UNIAIDS, 2002; FAO, 2004). The impact of HIV/AIDS pandemic is unique because AIDS kills adults in the prime of their lives, thus depriving the society of its most productive people. Added to an already heavy disease burden, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is deepening and spreading poverty, reversing human development, worsening gender inequalities and eroding the capacity of governments to provide essential social services (Michiels, 2001; FAO, 2004; UNDP, 2002).
Crop production is often central to the rural economy. It is one of the most important sectors in many developing countries, a means of providing a living or survival mechanisms for up to 80% of Nigeria‟s population particularly among rural men, women and youth. Women, men and youth play essential and dynamic roles in societal economic development particularly in crop production. Although men and women participate in most agricultural tasks, men predominate in land preparation and ploughing, women are entirely responsible for planting, harvesting, processing and marketing of food crops (Achike, 1999). While the youth participate in crop production based on gender, the male children go with the men while the females with the mothers in their performances. Women also involve themselves in raring of animals, and some other economic activities such as hand weaving industries. They work themselves out in order to feed, support and supplement the household income. This is confirmed by Dixon-Mueller (1985) who asserted that women contribute at least half of household income and are key actors in production and reproductive activities that provide people with the basic needs for food, shelter and clothing. As a consequence, they work more hours and sleep less than men. Women normally work for 17 – 18 hours daily with some flexibility for rural women due to seasonality (World bank, 1996). But despite these roles, they have remained seriously disadvantaged with respect to access to health, education, finance and credit facilities, agricultural extension services, other productive resources, training opportunities and developmental benefits. Women are the backbone of the agricultural sector, accounting for 70% of farm labour and being responsible for 60% – 80% of food production (CTA, 1999; Adisa and Okunade, 2005). Women in the rural areas produce food for survival and also contribute for small scale enterprise development. The practice is aimed at enabling women to successfully enter into employment in the area of production, services and trade in the informal sector as it provides between 50% and 70% of all economic activity in the Third world. Women do the domestic work, giving birth and raising of young ones; planting, harvesting, processing and marketing of farm produce. They also take care of the sick in their homes. Women‟s work in economic development has become a topic of concern among scholars and national development planners (World Bank,
1996).
Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
epidemic is a major threat to crop production and food security and diminishes availability of socio-economic and rural livelihood via direct loss of family labour, reduce time for farming, assets-striping, knowledge lose and void in farmers‟ generation (Mutangadura et al., 1999). Adoption of non-suitable farming practices due to reduction in labour force, cultivation of marginal and less productive lands, reduction of agricultural manpower, and loss of skilled labourers (Topouzis and Du-Guerny, 1999). Although HIV/AIDS statistics are not broken down into urban and rural areas, it is reasonable to infer from population data that the majority of the world‟s HIV/AIDS affected people live in rural areas. In sub-Saharan Africa, home of 70% of cases, more than two-third of the population of the 25 most affected countries lives in rural areas (Topouzis and DuGuerny, 1999). Research reports (World
Bank, 1996; CTA, 1999; Adisa and Akunde, 2005) have shown that about 80% of the
Nigerian population live in the rural area and are engaged mainly in agricultural production. These research findings also show that about 50% to 70% of agricultural related activities in Nigeria are performed by women and youth.
It is now widely demonstrated that rural women, youth, as well as men, throughout the world are engaged in a range of productive activities essential to household welfare, crop production and economic growth. Women substantial contribution continues to be systematically marginalized and undervalued in conventional crop production and economic analyses and policies, while men‟s contribution remains the central, often the sole focus of attention (Janelid, 1975). However, in many instances, the roles women play in farming and production are not formally recognized by Developmental Agencies (Dixon, 2005).
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a chronic life threatening disease caused by the Immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The virus damages or destroys the cells of a person‟s immune system. People die directly of HIV/AIDS, the disease weaken the body‟s ability to fight other diseases. When these diseases attack, they weaken the defence systems of an infected body and the body has no resources with which to fight off that attack. Haan (2004) states that this is what makes HIV/AIDS dangerous, making the infected person more vulnerable to almost any disease attack that might come along.