Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi

In diffusion of innovation process, adoption generally depends on what is being adopted. Its adoption or non-adoption will depend on how it is being introduced, to whom and by whom. Thus, if the source of information is not credible, chances are that the innovations will be adopted very slowly or not at all. Adoption of family planning contraceptives also follows the basic diffusion of innovation theory, with the exception that family planning is much closer to the people’s lives, values, culture, etc., than any other innovation that change agents introduce to the people. In a major survey in Kenya on family planning knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) 4,164 respondents representing all provinces, ethnic group, religions, socio-economic groups, male and females etc., were asked if they had heard about family planning and from whom or what sources. By far the majority of respondents get their family planning information from friends. Mass media such as radio, books, television, newspapers, etc., while they are source of information, they are not as influential as friends. The paper also considers the relationship between respondents’ perception of child survival and willingness to adopt family planning contraceptives. The available data indicate a significant number of respondent still think that more children under the age of five die now than they did in the past. The paper concludes this section by saying that since available family planning methods are women oriented, and since it is the women, whether urban or rural who consider the death of children to have increased, chances are that adoption and use of contraceptives will not improve until there has been a positive demonstration that modern health care can ensure survival of children, or until such time that the population has been educated in basic health services.