Impact of malaria on the Agri-Business Industry
Agro-business activities may often bring employees into closer contact with forest, forest-fringe, or rural malaria vectors than they would normally be.Exacerbating factors can include:
- Some workers may be active in rural locations at dusk or dawn, increasing their chances of contracting malaria.
- Irrigation associated with some agri-businesses may increase the number/size of breeding sites.
This will have economic implications on the company but will also bring about a duty of care towards employees brought into greater risk of malaria transmission than would otherwise be the case, and towards local communities if malaria transmission potential is raised by company activities.
There may also be a social responsibility to tackle malaria if it is a major health issue in surrounding communities, particularly given the likelihood that the company will be engaged in an area long-term.