English 
Français
Español

Seasonal labour migration, irrigation and health in Niono, Mali

Sally E. Findley, Columbia University
Seydou Doumbia, Malaria Research and Training Center

As part of a demographic surveillance system, in 2001-2002 we surveyed 333 households with 4755 individuals in 6 villages in irrigated and dry-farm areas in the Niono District, Segou region of Mali. 27% had illness episodes between survey rounds. Of 954 reported illness episodes, 46% were malaria, 28% were ARI, 5% were diarrhea, and 2% were measles. Illness rates for the irrigated villagers were significantly higher than those of the non-irrigated villagers for malaria; ARI, and diarrhea. 21% of families had migrant members, 311 immigrants and 253 emigratnts. 77% of the immigrants went to irrigated villages (short-term labor migrants); while 90% of the emigrants had left non-irrigated villages (Chi-square = 205, p<.001). Malaria and ARI were the most common illnesses among migrants. Labor migrants from the non-irrigated to the irrigated zones had 66% more malaria episodes (F=3.16, p=.08). Migrant workers in the irrigated villages contribute to their higher illness rates.

Presented in Poster Session 4