Socio-Economic and Cultural Determinants of the Slow Decline in Fertility in Migori County, Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Odongo, Linet Akinyi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
High fertility is a major concern among the developing countries and countries in Africa south of the Sahara (SSA) as its negative characteristics poses a threat to their economies. Existing studies indicate that as at 2018, developing countries had a relatively low fertility rate of 4.0 while those in Africa south of the Sahara had the highest total fertility rate of 4.7. This is much higher than the world’s Fertility Rate, which stood at 2.4 during the same year. In Kenya, the Total fertility rate (TFR) declined from 7.5 births per woman in 1980 to around 5 births in 2010 to the current 3.5. In Migori County, TFR decreased from 7.1 births in the 1980s to around 5.6 in 2011 and to the current 5.3 in 2017. All other counties in Nyanza have registered a high decrease in Fertility Rate with a current of 4.8 in Kisumu, 4.7 in Siaya, 3.7 in Kisii, 5.2 in Homabay and 3.5 in Nyamira and most are moving towards national mean of 3.5. Migori County still stands at 5.3 and is reducing at a slower rate compared to the national rate and other counties in Nyanza. This formed the rationale for this study. The objectives of the study were; to investigate the social determinants of slow fertility decline in Migori: to determine the economic determinant of slow fertility decline in Migori County; to establish how culture affect slow fertility decline in Migori County and to make Policy implication on fertility decline. The study was guided by inter-generational wealth flow theory by John Cadwell. It adopted descriptive research design.A total sample size of 271 respondents was obtained from women of fecund age (15-49) determined by Fisher’s formula from 3 sub-counties Nyatike, Kuria East and Rongo obtained through random and purposive selection. Questionnaires, interview schedule and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Primary data was analyzed with respect to measures of central tendency. Chi-square was employed to test the relationship between the social, economic and cultural variables and fertility. ANOVA was used to test the significance of the means which was set at 95% level of significance. Social factors studied were level of education, economic status and occupation which had a direct effect on the rate at which fertility declined. Furthermore, Cultural factors such as religion, marital status and economic factors; poor healthcare standards, lack of empowered women and citizens had a direct cause on the slow fertility decline in Migori county.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts (Population and Settlement Geography) of Kenyatta University, October, 2023.
Keywords
Socio-Economic, Cultural Determinants, Slow Decline, Fertility, Migori County, Kenya