ABSTRACT
The analysis of the reforestation programme in Thailand suggests that female labour force participation was negatively related to recent fertility, which implied that the programme had helped to reduce fertility through employment of women in reforestation activities. On the other hand, the available evidence suggests that female labour force participation in home industry was not incompatible with high fertility. These results therefore suggest that policy-makers should
pay greater attention to the type of female employment that needs to be generated to achieve greater anti-natalistic impacts. One alternative may perhaps be to promote non-agricultural employment opportunities in rural areas. But such an approach may not be costeffective. Social cost-benefit analysis is therefore crucial for assessing these alternative policy approaches.
