Human movements into polygonal rubber plantations
There are two possible factors that render rubber farmers
and workers susceptible to frequent Anopheles vector
exposure in rubber plantation areas (Fig. 4). First, the
rubber farmers who own the smallholding(s) at which the
workers have productive activities may have different
household settings that vary from simple wooden houses
with basic amenities to cement houses with high-end
amenities. These homes are mostly located at the fringe
of hilly rubber smallholdings and are more likely to be
within malaria transmission foci than homes located in
populated low-lying areas (Fig. 4B). Second, during a period
of rubber tapping that normally starts in the rainy season
and extends into the winter season, rubber tappers (both
farmers and plantation workers) do not always sleep under
nets during the nighttime because they leave a house for
harvesting the rubber for several work hours before
returning to sleep.