Economic Analysis of Child Labour and Health Status of Cocoa Farmers in Ikole Ekiti Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

An analysis of child labour  and health status in cocoa farming households was undertaken using    descriptive analysis and logit regression model. A total sample of 60 household heads and 60 children used for cocoa farming were collected, 90% male and 10% female adult household heads responded while 57% male children and 43% female children were sampled randomly. The mean ages were 55 years for adults and 15 years for children. Ninety eight percent of the adult respondents have farming as a major occupation while 95% use their children on the farm. No pay was given to any child by adults when they are engaged in economic activities. The average household size was 10. Ninety five percent of the children sampled are pupils in primary institutions in the area. Household size and time spent on farm by children used on cocoa farms have significant and indirect relationship with the occurrence of disease, while income per annum and expenses on clothing and footwear have direct and significant effect on the occurrence of disease among the children used as labour on the farms. The prominence of child labour in farming activities as revealed in the study centers on the participation of male and female children in Spraying (100%), Harvesting (100%), processing (100%), transporting (100%) and marketing (100%).resulting in the prevalence of adverse health challenges such as headache (15.85 times per month per child), stomach-ache (10.95 times per month per child), and malaria fever (10.00 times per month per child).