patterns of population growth in nepal - Institute for Social and ...

108
changes in life style together: with exposure to ur:ban
ar:eas influence the individuals' psychological perspective
on children. This is particularly reflected
through higher aspirations for children which
influence the perceived economic costs of children
i.e., nurture cost, education cost, opportunity cost.
All these costs are likely to influence the demand
for additional children and, hence, the fertility
(Basu, 1978). Similarly, a rise in agricultural productivity
not only increases income but also raises
the reward for the labour performed outside the home
i.e., wages. This m~es the rearing of children more
expensive which,in turn,may cause fertility to
decline (Basu,1978; Mueller, 197.; Kulkarni, 1981,
Ali, 1981).
2. Agricultural mechanization which is also a
part of agricultUral development works as a mechanism
of labour saving and thus re4uces the value of children
as productive agents on the farm and may decrease
fertility.
3. Agricultural modernization is expected to
increase the supply and availability of food thereby
reducing malnutxi tion. This leads to decline in
infant mortality rate. The decline in infant