It has been suggested that countries wish~g to reduce their birth-rates should, ~ addition to ~stitut~g birth control facilities, consider policies to change the social and economic conditions which affect birth control practices and fertility levels. 13. Even ~ the absence of such changes, use can be made of com­ munication programmes, often re~forced by incentives, to ensure at least the temporary adopt ion of family planning practices and thereby to gain time while prograrnmes for economic and social developnent are changing the conditions of life and laying the basis for more deep-seated and permanent acceptance of family pl ann ~g. How·ever, it is clear from all this tha1: the outlook for population programmes in African countries is poor. The suc­ cess rute of such programmes in other developing re9ions is very low, and their usefulness is questionable, as their basic premise, i.e. the existence of an inverse relationship between population growth and economic growth, is flawed. C. Population distrib~_!:_i9!1_,_!i!J..9ration and urbanization 14. It has been argued that ~ most African countries, the problem of population distribution can take one or more of four different forms. It can take the form of a disproportionate size and rate of growth of the metropolitan centre; it can lead to diminutive sizes and growth rates of populations with~ the rema~ing components of the urban system; it can relate to the size of the total urban population as a proportion of the total population; or it can arise fro!":'. the configuration and density of the rural por:ulation. The major problems associated with the ob-. served patterns of porul at ion d i str ibut ion include high urban growth rates, imbalances between population and resource dis­ tribution, areas where population density is too low to support development ~frastructure, and ~ternational migrat.ion. 15. Rural-urban migration has lowered agricultural produc­
**Analysis**
The text discusses population growth, fertility rates, and distribution, as well as the relationship between population and economic growth. It also touches on the challenges of implementing population programs in African countries. This suggests that the text is primarily concerned with issues related to economic development and human well-being.

**Category**
Economic development, Health