Expanding agricultural irrigation efforts to enhance food security and socioeconomic development in sub-Saharan Africa may affect
malaria transmission and socioeconomic variables that increase the risk of
anemia in local communities. We compared the prevalence of
anemia, Plasmodium falciparum
infection, and indicators of socioeconomic status related to nutrition in communities in Homa Bay County, Kenya, where an agricultural irrigation scheme has been implemented, to that in nearby communities where there is no agricultural irrigation. Cross-sectional surveys conducted showed that
anemia prevalence defined by WHO criteria (
hemoglobin < 11 g/dL) was less in communities in the irrigated areas than in the non-irrigated areas during the wet season (38.9% and 51.5%, χ2 = 4.29, P = 0.001) and the dry season (25.2% and 34.1%, χ2 = 7.33, P = 0.007). In contrast, Plasmodium falciparum
infection prevalence was greater during the wet season in irrigated areas than in non-irrigated areas (15.3% versus 7.8%, χ2 = 8.7, P = 0.003). There was, however, no difference during the dry season (
infection prevalence, < 1.8%). Indicators of nutritional status pertinent to
anemia pathogenesis such as weekly consumption of non-
heme- and
heme-containing foods and household income were greater in communities located within the irrigation scheme versus those outside the irrigation scheme (P < 0.0001). These data indicate that current agricultural irrigation schemes in
malaria-endemic communities in this area have reduced the risk of
anemia. Future studies should include diagnostic tests of
iron deficiency, parasitic worm
infections, and genetic
hemoglobin disorders to inform public health interventions aimed at reducing community
anemia burden.