The health status of farmworker communities in Zimbabwe
Chikanza, I.C.; Paxton, D.; Loewenson, R.; Laing, R.
Central African Journal of Medicine 27(5): 88-91
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-9176 PMID: 7249074 Document Number: 176299
Between Bindura and Madziwa in one of the best farming areas of Zimbabwe, adults were interviewed, including 164 mothers, and 223 children under 5 years old were measured at 6 large farms generally of 2000 acres with on average 52 workers to a farm. The farmers considered that the incidence of undernutrition among the children was none or negligible. The survey results indicated that the incidence was 19% to 69%, depending on the criteria used. Incidence of severe undernutrition was significantly greater in infants 6 months to 2 years old than in older or younger infants, owing probably to the incapacity of a recently weaned infant to eat enough of the bulky diet of stiff porridge and vegetables to provide adequate energy. Committees of farm workers mentioned low wages and high prices of food, especially meat, at the farm stores. They expressed a need for shorter working hours, better housing, sanitation; piped water; to divide the crowded living compounds into family units and to provide an accessible school and clinic. Those improvements are recommended. The shorter working hours would allow farm workers to engage in their own farming, poultry- or rabbit-keeping to supplement their deit or their earnings.