A SURVEY ON THE DETERMINANT OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PREVENTION OF PEST INFESTATION WITH REFERENCE TO POTISKUM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF YOBE STATE.

Abstract

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study
Pests and their associated waste can serve as a carrier to transmit disease and bacteria into the environment. We take health related pest control very serious in order to reduce or minimize the widespread of diseases in the environment. For examples, mosquitoes transmitting malaria, house flies transmitting cholera, tsetse flies transmitting sleeping sickness. Cockroaches causing leprosy, rats causing lesser fever, black flies causing onchocerciasis, bed bugs causing cimex and mouse causing hanta virus infection (by inhalation of the virus through urine, droppings and saliva of mouse) (Cornwall 2000).
According to Grabman (2003), pest refers to plant or animals detrimental to human or human concern, it is an insect or small animal which are harmful or which causes damage to food crops. Also Wukie (2000) define pest as any form of plant or animal life or pathogenic agent injurious or potentially injurious to plants, plant products, livestock or man.
Different species of pest are found virtually in all homes in Potiskum community, it is noteworthy to say that human being choose to live in a clean environment. In developing countries, circumstances such as ignorance, lack of community sensitization, poverty and low level of technology do not always favour good environmental sanitation. Similarly, there are other organisms that naturally prefer to live in a filthy and dirty environment.
Community is important within a public health context. Research demonstrates that: prevention and intervention take place at a community level. Community is an important determinant of health outcomes. However, lack of commonly accepted definition of community results in different collaborators forming contradictory or incompatible assumptions about community. This often undermines their ability to evaluate the contribution of the community in achieving public health outcome (Norby, 2004).
According to American Journal of Public Health (2001), community is a group of people with diverse characteristics which are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in Joint action in geographical locations or setting. Howard (2006) stated that communities are people living in one particular area who are considered as a unit because of their common interest background. Community participation has many direct degrees of community input and responsibility. Every one benefit when participating in the activities. For example, adults and youths might participate in village committees to improve services. Community participation occurs when a community organizes itself and takes responsibility for managing its problems (MacQueen, 2005). Taking responsibility include identifying the problems, developing action, putting them into place and following through. A truly participatory programme involves and benefits the entire community including youths, young children, parents, teachers and schools, community leaders, healthcare practitioners, local government officials and agency administrators. Programs also benefit because trends in many nations towards decentralization and democratization also require increased decision making at the community level, (Howard, 2006).
Community participation is an important strategy in efforts to work with youth to improve their sexual and reproductive health. Community participation is a strategy that respects the rights and ability of youths and other community members to design and implement programmes within their community. Community participation opens the way for community members including youths to act responsibly. Whether a participatory approach is the primary strategy or a complementary one, it will greatly enrich and strengthen programs and help to achieve more sustainable, appropriate and effective programs in the field (Bhatnagar, 1999). It is against this background that this research work is been designed to identify the determinants of community participation in the prevention of pest infestation in Potiskum Government Area of Yobe State.
1.2 Statement of the Research Problem
A community where an individual member puts the activities of pest under check is devoid of the effect of pest infestation such as health related harvoc. In the area of study due to the lack of adequate community participation, pest now has a detrimental effect on the inhabitants Potiskum community members) which led to the prevalence of most of the diseases and deaths. However, all is tied to lack of cooperation and negligence on the part of Potiskum community people. This study therefore examines the level of participation of the Potiskum community in this control of pest infestation.
1.3 Research Objective
The objectives of the study are to ascertain the determinants of community participation in the prevention of pest infestation in Potiskum Community for prompt application of corrective measures. The following are the objectives of the study;
i. To determine the prevalence of pest in the community
ii. To find out the measures to be taken for eradicating the pest
iii. To identify the factors influencing people attitude towards eradicating the pest.

1.4 Research Questions
i. What is the prevalence of pest in the community?
ii. What are the measures for eradicating the pest?
iii. What are the factors influencing people attitude towards eradicating the pest?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will serve as an improved knowledge and change of attitude, hence making the Potiskum community people effective and efficient in participating in the prevention of pest infestation. The beneficiaries are Potiskum community members who will take advantage of the research findings to better improve on their participation especially on prevention of pest infestation in their individual homes and the community at large, thereby reducing the diseases associated with the pest infestation. The study would also offer suggestion that could influence decision making on community role in diseases prevention by government. This research will motivate other researchers to carry out similar research in the area of community participation.
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the study
This study is concerned with the examination of the determination of community participation in the prevention of pest infestation in Potiskum local government. The study comprised of both literate and illiterate adult (male and female) respondents some wards of the community were used for the study namely Mamudo, Danchuwa, Yarimaran, Bolewa A&B, Arikime, Tudun Wada.
1.8 Definition of terms
Pest control :-Pests are unwanted plants, animals, insects, germs or other organisms that interfere with human activity.
They may bite, destroy food crops, damage property, or otherwise make our lives more difficult. Effective pest control requires some knowledge about the pest and its habits.
The first step is to identify the pest correctly; the second step is to learn about its lifestyle. After that, you can evaluate strategies to control your pest.
Community participation:-Community participation can be loosely defined as the involvement of people in a community in projects to solve their own problems. People cannot be forced to 'participate' in projects which affect their lives but should be given the opportunity where possible.
Infestation:-Infestation is the state of being invaded or overrun by pests or parasites. It can also refer to the actual organisms living on or within a host.