Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Forecasting in Burkina Faso

In this research paper, the ANN approach was applied to analyze TFR in Burkina Faso. The employed annual data covers the period 1960-2018 and the out-of-sample period ranges over the period 2019-2030. The residuals and forecast evaluation criteria (Error, MSE and MAE) of the applied model indicate that the model is stable in forecasting TFR in Burkina Faso. The results of the study indicate that the annual total fertility in Burkina Faso is likely to be around 5.3 births per woman throughout the out of sample period. Therefore, the government is encouraged to (1) create more demand for family planning services and improve access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among adolescents and young adults, and (2) focus on empowering women through education, equal employment opportunities and upholding their rights.