ABSTRACT
Three of the most frequently recurring development errors can best be corrected by anthropologists: incorrect assumptions about the nature of the problem; over-reliance on modern technology as the solution to the development problem; and insufficient use of nongovernmental resources to initiate and sustain development interventions. This chapter examines the recurring errors from the vantage of experience gained residence in Kenya and from field data collected in Kenya’s central highlands during 1974-1975. Kenya is a particularly appropriate country for a population case study, as it has the highest recorded population growth rate in the world and it has been the recipient of an exceptional number of programs aimed at slowing the rate. In the case of the population sector, analysis reveals that planners can refine their assumptions about the dynamics of population change by understanding better the prevalence of fertility regulation practices within indigenous cultures.
