IMPACT OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS ON RICE OUTPUT AND FARM INPUTS IN MALI

Using a quasi-experiment design, the economic impact of schistosomiasi s was studied in 412 rice-grower households in Mall. Two groups of sev en villages were formed, one a treated group and one an untreated grou p, after pair-matching by geographical zone and irrigation type. Effec t of treatment was assessed according to economic output (paddy yield) and five resource variables (family and hired labour productivity, fa mily and hired labour intensity and farm size). This study shows that changes in health have no direct effect on rice production, but affect the household's use of its labour resources and its ability to utilis e of her resources: increases of 69 man-days available per hectare (fo r family workers) and of 0.47 hectares in farm size were observed in t he treated group relative to the untreated group. These results illust rate the key role of the coping process in masking the direct economic effects of disease. The benefit of reducing the burden of disease in rice production areas was confirmed through provision of additional ut ility to households by increasing the time available for leisure activ ities or for work.