Malaria
Conditions
Brief summary
Preliminary evidence from ongoing research provides strong indications that protecting farmers from malaria would be profitable for outgrowing agribusinesses in sub-Saharan Africa. The study team invests in experimental research to investigate this conjecture in more detail.
Detailed description
The study evaluates whether the sourcing of insecticide-treated nets and their distribution to smallholder farmers for free would be a profitable investment for a cotton outgrowing agribusiness in Zambia. The study therefore carries out a major net distribution through the existing distribution channels of a cotton outgrowing agribusiness, evaluates the impact of this distribution on smallholder cotton yields, and values the profitability implications for the outgrowing agribusiness.
Interventions
DEVICEInsecticide-treated net (BASF Incerceptor)
One per farmer, once during the 2010-2011 season
Sponsors
PATH
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Farmers who contracted with the participating cotton outgrowing company in the 2010-2011 season
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton Yields | 2010-2011 season (up to 1 year) | Farmer's cotton yields (kg delivered per household), as defined in the routine data collection system of the participating cotton outgrowing agribusiness |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Defaults | 2010-2011 season (up to 1 year) | Defaults on input loans, as defined in the routine data collection system of the participating cotton outgrowing agribusiness. Odds ratios calculated in accordance with NIH guidance: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938757/ |
| Increase in Maize Productivity | 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons (up to 2 years) | Increase in self-reported maize productivity (yield on maize plots divided by size of maize plots), collected through validation survey; calculated as maize productivity 2010-11 minus maize productivity 2009-10, measured in bags (ordinarily 50kg bags; however, kg measure not specified) |
| Self-reported Malaria Prevalence | 2010-2011 season (up to 1 year) | Over two weeks before interview, collected through validation survey. Odds ratio calculated in accordance with NIH guidance http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938757/ |
Countries
Zambia
Participant flow
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Treatment: Insecticide-treated Net Smallholder farmers in the treatment group are informed that they won a raffle, and receive a free insecticide-treated net
Insecticide-treated net (BASF Incerceptor): One per farmer, once during the 2010-2011 season | 39,963 |
| Control Smallholder farmers in the control group are informed that they had a chance to win an insecticide-treated mosquito net in a raffle, but did not end up winning | 41,634 |
| Total | 81,597 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Treatment: Insecticide-treated Net | Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Continuous | NA | NA | NA |
| Region of Enrollment Zambia | 39963 participants | 41634 participants | 81597 participants |
| Sex/Gender, Customized Female | NA | NA | NA |
| Sex/Gender, Customized Male | NA | NA | NA |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
Outcome results
Primary
Cotton Yields
Farmer's cotton yields (kg delivered per household), as defined in the routine data collection system of the participating cotton outgrowing agribusiness
Time frame: 2010-2011 season (up to 1 year)
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment: Insecticide-treated Net | Cotton Yields | 544 kg | Standard Deviation 11 |
| Control | Cotton Yields | 548 kg | Standard Deviation 11 |
Secondary
Contract Defaults
Defaults on input loans, as defined in the routine data collection system of the participating cotton outgrowing agribusiness. Odds ratios calculated in accordance with NIH guidance: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938757/
Time frame: 2010-2011 season (up to 1 year)
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment: Insecticide-treated Net | Contract Defaults | 0.887 odds ratio |
| Control | Contract Defaults | 1.127 odds ratio |
Secondary
Increase in Maize Productivity
Increase in self-reported maize productivity (yield on maize plots divided by size of maize plots), collected through validation survey; calculated as maize productivity 2010-11 minus maize productivity 2009-10, measured in bags (ordinarily 50kg bags; however, kg measure not specified)
Time frame: 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons (up to 2 years)
Population: Subset of study population selected for validation survey
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment: Insecticide-treated Net | Increase in Maize Productivity | 55 bags (not further specified) | Standard Error 6 |
| Control | Increase in Maize Productivity | 59 bags (not further specified) | Standard Error 6 |
Secondary
Self-reported Malaria Prevalence
Over two weeks before interview, collected through validation survey. Odds ratio calculated in accordance with NIH guidance http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938757/
Time frame: 2010-2011 season (up to 1 year)
Population: Subset of study population selected for validation survey
| Arm | Measure | Value (NUMBER) |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment: Insecticide-treated Net | Self-reported Malaria Prevalence | 0.58 odds ratio |
| Control | Self-reported Malaria Prevalence | 1.72 odds ratio |