The effects of land conflicts on cassava production in Lobule sub-county, Koboko District, Uganda

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of land conflicts on cassava production in Lobule Sub-County, Koboko District. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a survey of 300 households, five focus group discussions (FGDs), and three key informant interviews (KIIs). Findings revealed that boundary conflicts (63.3%) and land inheritance conflicts (23%) were the most common types of land conflicts, alongside ownership and user conflicts. Key causes included unclear boundaries, lack of land registration, absence of formal user agreements, and corruption by some clan elders. Most conflicts (92.4%) were resolved at household and community levels, primarily by clan elders. Cassava production was predominantly small-scale, with land conflicts accounting for 69.9% of production challenges reported by respondents. Other challenges included climate change, pests, diseases, and poor cassava varieties. The conflicts extended beyond family to community, clan, and institutional levels, posing significant challenges to peaceful coexistence. Limited land availability and resource constraints hindered large-scale cassava production. Land conflicts reduced land size for cassava cultivation, discouraged investment on contested land, and led to shifts toward shorter-term crops such as maize. Recommendations include: Implement agricultural support programs targeting farmers in conflict-prone areas, securing land access and user rights for tenant farmers to encourage sustained cassava cultivation policy should aim to secure land tenure, introduce land conflict mediation services at the local level, and provide legal support to vulnerable groups such as women and tenant farmers, formal land registration clear demarcation of land boundaries through boundary tree planting, implementing these measures could mitigate the adverse effects of land conflicts on cassava production in Lobule Sub-County, Koboko District.