Family size and productivity of rural households in Nigeria
Omideyi, A.K.
Janasamkhya 6(1): 29-48
1988
PMID: 12315558 Document Number: 358885
Omideyi examines the extent to which high fertility in rural Nigeria has influenced productivity and the resulting effect on the quality of life. Data was drawn from various agricultural and demographic surveys. It was shown that although family size is high in rural Nigeria, agricultural productivity is low, as is income derived. Nearly all the food produced by the household is consumed because productivity is low and family size large. The net effect is a lower level of household income, little savings, and increased poverty. On the basis of these findings, there seems to be little justification for maintaining large families to increase productivity. For the quality of life to be improved in rural areas then, it is suggested that the government pursue policies which will discourage high fertility. This, along with encouraging cooperative farming, providing more agricultural loans to support capital intensive agricultural production, and providing more fertilizers should ensure higher productivity; more savings will be internally generated, amenities provided will be used more effectively, and the rural-urban gap will be minimized.