The Impact Of Economic Factors On Household Fertility Behaviour In Rural Kenya

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to identify the economic determinants of household fertility behaviour which was analysed ln a consumer-theoretic frame-work. Utilizing a static cross-sectional model, a household fertility equation was developed from which the direction, relative magnitude and statistical significance of the influence of specific economic variables on household fertility was estimated. The variables considered are: the opportunity cost of time (i.e. wages), income generating assets, market determined income, and the level of socioeconomic development. Three main hypotheses were tested: (1) the level of husband's education varies directly with the demand for children while the level of mother's education varies inversely with the demand for children, (2) different categories of a household's wealth (i.e. land, livestock, and other non-human income-generating assets) exert differential effects on household demand for children, and (3) income accruing to human capital has a negative effect on the demand for children while income derived from physical and social capital exert positive effects. Multiple regression technique was utilized to analyse cross-sectional primary data which was collected from rural households in Sengani and Nguluni sub-locations of Machakos District and Nairage Enkare sub-location of Narok District. The sample included 89 households, 80 households and 57 households from Sengani, Nguluni and Nairage Enkare, respectively. Empirical evidence suggested that income derived from human capital has a larger price of time effect and a smaller income effect on the demand for children than income derived from non-human capital. Thus, returns to human capital will tend to reduce ;fertility while returns to non-human capital will tend to increase it. Furthermore, we found that the impact of wife's schooling on fertility was negative and statistically significant; the impact of husband's schooling was positive; infant and child mortality was found to exert the largest positive impact on household fertility; landholding exerted negative effect; other assets exert positive effects; and socio-economic development affects fertility negatively. Tour policy regimes emerged from the findings of this study. These policies concern: (1) income generation (2) wages (3) mortality and the reproductive span and (4) socio-economic development.