Fertility Control in Africa

Fertility control is examined in 2 pastoral societies in Africa: the Kipsigis and the Fulani. The Kipsigis have experienced considerable fertility change during the 20th century. Patterns have been less altered among the Fulani but recent drought and resettlement may have initiated changes that are not yet documented. The model of fertility regulation that can be constructed for most of tropical Africa contains elements of the broad cultural patterns that exist throughout the reion but these broad patterns contain significant local variations as demonstrated by examination of the Kipsigis and the Fulani. The Kipsigis live mainly in Kericho district Kenya. Together with the Nandi their present northern neighbors the Kipsigis probably migrated southward during times of drought and famine. Fertility among the traditional pastoral Kipsigis appears to have been well below its potential possibly averaging fewer than 5 children per woman. The most significant regulation mechanism was a late marriage age that was associated with the pastoral economy controlled by elderly men. Within marriage fertility levels were regulated by child spacing similar to that in West and Central Africa. In both instances fertility was designed to maintain a system of social and economic authority rather than to control population growth. The Fulani one of the most distinctive peoples of tropical Africa are basically cattle pastoralists and are scattered across the vast Sahel/savanna zone of West Africa. The Fulani share the African tradition of cultural preference for large families. Much of Fulani culture at 1 level of analysis seems to be oriented toward maximizing the desire for children. Almost all Fulani women marry. Marriage occurs at an early age between 15-16 years for women and between 20-25 years for men. Because women continue to attempt to bear children until menopause rather than cease upon becoming grandmothers Fulani women are in a potentially reproductive status for 25-30 years. The period of breastfeeding is long but there is no postpartum taboo beyond the 40 days specified in the Koran. Theoretically rates for the Fulani should be higher than those of other West African groups but that is not the case. A recent survey gave the average complete size of a Fulani family at 4.9 persons the lowest figure for any group in the country. A pastoral way of life forces spatial separation of spouses while the precarious and fragile physical environment of the Sahel and its effects on livestock produce stress that often leads to marital disruption and divorce. In addition sexually transmitted diseases cause sterility. These factors impede the realization of fertility aspirations. If the break from dependence on pastoralism signals a shift to a sedentary lifestyle fertility among the Fulani will probably increase. The Fulani have not been as affected by Westernization as have the Kipsigis. The Sahelian drought of 1968-74 set forces in motion in motion that may have longterm effects on Fulani demographic patterns

Fertility · Geography · Livestock · Pastoralism · Population · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Demography · Forestry · Health and Conflict Studies · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology