Wellcome Trust, UK, has awarded a research grant of Rs.2.95 lakh to the Department of Population Studies, Bharathiar University, to carry out the second phase of the South India fertility project. The funding would be done through the French Institute, Pondicherry, according to a press communiqué from the varsity.

The first phase of the study was carried out in 1991, and it was found that the fertility was lower than expected in Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Nilgiris, western Trichy, northern Dindigul and Chettinad areas. The survey also found that fertility in Dharmapuri, North and South Arcot and Tiruvannamalai areas was higher.

The second phase would explore the causes for such lower and higher than expected level of fertility based on the empirical data from the selected villages in Erode, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri and North Arcot areas through participant observation, focus group discussions besides household survey, according to the press communiqué. It also said the thrust of the research would be to examine whether cultural and historical factors played a role.

Dr. N. Audinarayanan, Head of Department, Department of Population Studies would be the principal investigator for the project while Dr. S.Krishnamoorthy, Prof Emeritus, would be co-investigator, the press communiqué maintained.