Landholding and Fertility Relationship: A Review of the Empirical Evidence

The recent availability of empirical evidence gathered from a number of demographic surveys in agrarian societies has led to a debate on the nature and extent of relationship between landholding and fertility. The discussions have yielded plausible ways in which access to land influences fertility behaviour. The main focus of this paper is on an examination of theories relating to the landfertility relationship and a review of empirical studies on the topic. The results of the empirical studies are presented in a labular form. The available evidence at the micro and macro levels confirms the existence of a positive relationship between land and fertility. The theoretical arguments an the relationship are reviewed and the suggested land-fertility linkages then examined in the light of the available evidence. Finally, prospects far further research are discussed.