Farming Practices and Disease Prevalence among Urban Lowland Farmers in Cameroon, Central Africa

Urban growth, coupled with increasing vegetable demand, has led to the utilization of lowlands in Cameroon for agricultural production. This study investigates the factors influencing the farming practices and the prevalence of diseases in vegetable producers through a cross-sectional survey of 130 farmers. Using logistic regression models, we found a positive association between education level and farm size with the overall quantity of fertilizer, both organic and mineral, used. Pesticide usage was positively associated with the number of years a farm had been cultivated, but it was negatively associated with land ownership. However, the number of years that farms had been cultivated was negatively associated with mineral fertilizer applications. In general, the prevalence of waterborne diseases was linked to the education level, while malaria prevalence was linked to the gender of the farmers. The location of cultivated areas significantly influenced the likelihood of reporting malaria and headaches. Despite the associated health risks, vegetable production is necessary for farmers' livelihoods in the lowlands of Yaounde. Therefore, policymakers should provide measures to optimize the benefits of urban agriculture, including training in safe farming techniques to minimize the associated health risks.

Automated summary

Urban growth and increasing vegetable demand have led to the use of lowlands in Cameroon for agricultural production. This study found positive associations between education level and farm size with the overall quantity of fertilizer used, and positive associations between pesticide usage and the number of years a farm had been cultivated. However, pesticide usage was negatively associated with land ownership. Waterborne disease prevalence was linked to education level, while malaria prevalence was linked to the gender of the farmers. The location of cultivated areas significantly influenced the likelihood of reporting malaria and headaches.