Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security
Understanding the impact of commercial agriculture in the face of global change is critical to support strategies that ensure food security and alleviate poverty among households. We assessed the contribution of commercial sugarcane cultivation to household-level food security among smallholder farm...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/2/73 |
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| author | Edward N. Mwavu Vettes K. Kalema Fred Bateganya Patrick Byakagaba Daniel Waiswa Thomas Enuru Michael S. Mbogga |
| author_facet | Edward N. Mwavu Vettes K. Kalema Fred Bateganya Patrick Byakagaba Daniel Waiswa Thomas Enuru Michael S. Mbogga |
| author_sort | Edward N. Mwavu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the impact of commercial agriculture in the face of global change is critical to support strategies that ensure food security and alleviate poverty among households. We assessed the contribution of commercial sugarcane cultivation to household-level food security among smallholder farmers in Busoga sub-region, eastern Uganda. Land use changes are motivated by quick commercial gains rather than sustained food production; a situation that influences food security. The majority of households cultivate few crop varieties, lack adequate and nutritious foods, and have inadequate income to purchase food to meet their needs. Inadequacy of food within some commercial sugarcane-cultivating households suggests that generating income does not necessarily increase food security. To cope with food insecurity, households offer labour in exchange for food, borrow food, ration food, and at times steal. This is exacerbated by increasing food crop failures, large family sizes, trade in food items, and declining availability of food and land for food production. Commercial sugarcane cultivation is the main driver of food insecurity but given its perceived economic benefits, future sugarcane plantations expansion in the region is probably inevitable. Therefore, future policy should be designed to provide triple-win strategies (i.e., food security, poverty alleviation, and climate change adaptation) that provide sustainable livelihoods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T18:46:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de49e6f2ffa7431d973eb478febd52d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T18:46:25Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-de49e6f2ffa7431d973eb478febd52d22022-12-22T01:37:29ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2018-06-01727310.3390/land7020073land7020073Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food SecurityEdward N. Mwavu0Vettes K. Kalema1Fred Bateganya2Patrick Byakagaba3Daniel Waiswa4Thomas Enuru5Michael S. Mbogga6School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaKachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, P.O. Box 421, Kabale, UgandaCollege of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaUnderstanding the impact of commercial agriculture in the face of global change is critical to support strategies that ensure food security and alleviate poverty among households. We assessed the contribution of commercial sugarcane cultivation to household-level food security among smallholder farmers in Busoga sub-region, eastern Uganda. Land use changes are motivated by quick commercial gains rather than sustained food production; a situation that influences food security. The majority of households cultivate few crop varieties, lack adequate and nutritious foods, and have inadequate income to purchase food to meet their needs. Inadequacy of food within some commercial sugarcane-cultivating households suggests that generating income does not necessarily increase food security. To cope with food insecurity, households offer labour in exchange for food, borrow food, ration food, and at times steal. This is exacerbated by increasing food crop failures, large family sizes, trade in food items, and declining availability of food and land for food production. Commercial sugarcane cultivation is the main driver of food insecurity but given its perceived economic benefits, future sugarcane plantations expansion in the region is probably inevitable. Therefore, future policy should be designed to provide triple-win strategies (i.e., food security, poverty alleviation, and climate change adaptation) that provide sustainable livelihoods.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/2/73poverty alleviationsustainable livelihoodsclimate changecommercial agriculture |
| spellingShingle | Edward N. Mwavu Vettes K. Kalema Fred Bateganya Patrick Byakagaba Daniel Waiswa Thomas Enuru Michael S. Mbogga Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security Land poverty alleviation sustainable livelihoods climate change commercial agriculture |
| title | Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security |
| title_full | Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security |
| title_fullStr | Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security |
| title_short | Expansion of Commercial Sugarcane Cultivation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Implications for Household Food Security |
| title_sort | expansion of commercial sugarcane cultivation among smallholder farmers in uganda implications for household food security |
| topic | poverty alleviation sustainable livelihoods climate change commercial agriculture |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/2/73 |
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