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

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uphill task in Nepal.
Thus, according to the
threshold hypothesis, conditions in the country in
general and regions in particular, with the
possible exception of Kathmandu Valley, are not
favourable to fertility decline. Berlson (1978)
looking into the demographic rates and their
trends and the social setting of 29 countries, to
examine their chances of bringing reductions in
crude birth rates to 20 by 2000, has placed Nepal
in the unlikely category.
However, the experience of some of the areas
in under developed countries have shown that
fertility could be reduced without attaining the
threshold level. For instance, the studies conducted
in Kerala and Karnataka statesof India showed
a decline in total fertility rate without attaining
the threshold level and this was attributed to
family planning programme (Zachariah, 1983; Rao et.al,
1986) • Thus it has been empbasi zed that the mere
reliance on development as a contraceptive will not
solve the ~ediate problem of population growth.
v/hat is required, however, is the implementation of