This essay focuses on two main approaches to understanding 'the population problem' in developing countries: the demand and the supply approach to family planning. While fertility is declining in most regions of the world, having a large number of children is still common in many African countries. An essential question in the population debate is whether the high fertility is demanded, or is rather a result of low availability of family planning services. In this article, the issue is illustrated by the case of Kenya, one of the few African countries where fertility has started to decline. What role has family planning played in this development, and what are the future prospects?
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