DOKOLO, November 9, 2024 – The Land and Equity Movement in Uganda [LEMU], in collaboration with several partner organizations, has launched the “Keep Your Land, Keep Your Seed Campaign” in Okwongodul Sub-county, Dokolo District. The campaign aims to restore traditional seed varieties and improve land fertility in the Lango Sub-region.
The initiative is being implemented with support from partners including Oxfam, the Coalition of Pastoralist Civil Society Organisations [COPACSO], the Food Rights Alliance [FRA], Landnet Uganda, and the Uganda Community-Based Association for Women and Children Welfare [UCOBAC].
The campaign is based on research conducted by Pamela Lakidi Achan, an independent researcher and consultant specialising in land loss, land productivity decline, and the erosion of local seeds and food varieties in the Lango, Teso, and Busoga sub-regions.
According to Achan, the primary drivers of land loss and reduced productivity are the commodification of land—where people sell land to meet financial needs, and widespread land grabbing. “Land has become a commodity, much like maize, beans, and soybeans. People are selling their land to raise money, especially in regions like Busoga, where people are renting out hectares of land. Land is now viewed as a source of income. Additionally, we found that many people are losing land to government projects,” Achan explained.
Achan also noted that indigenous knowledge related to agriculture, particularly seed multiplication and storage, is fading. “Traditional agricultural knowledge is disappearing, especially as the older generation no longer passes on their knowledge. At the same time, the agricultural extension system is failing because it lacks proper funding and support. Modern fertilisers are also contributing to soil degradation,” she said.
Dr. Teresa Auma from LEMU explained that the campaign comes at a critical time when land is being misused for other purposes, including sale for quick cash. “The ‘Keep Your Land, Keep Your Seed Campaign’ stands against the sale of land and advocates for the preservation and planting of indigenous seed varieties,” Auma said. “It is concerning that people are selling their land to buy boda bodas [motorbikes]. We need to return to planting and consuming indigenous food crops and ensuring that they are redistributed,” she added.
Naome Kanda, Acting Director of Land Management at the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, expressed the Ministry’s full support for the campaign. “This initiative aligns with our national programme to educate people on proper land use. We will work with the campaign to safeguard the land rights of small-scale farmers and continue our awareness programmes on how to effectively use land,” Kanda stated. “The Ministry has developed a national fiscal development plan, with user plans for each district.”
Patience Baganzi, the Dokolo District Police Commander, highlighted the challenges women face in land ownership, particularly the vulnerability of women to domestic violence when they lose access to land. “Women are often disproportionately affected when it comes to land ownership disputes,” Baganzi said. “Women without land are at higher risk of domestic violence, and their children are also impacted. It is crucial that we ensure women’s land rights are protected, as enshrined in Uganda’s Constitution.”
Christopher Odongo, Secretary for Education at Lango Diocese, affirmed the Church’s commitment to supporting the protection of land rights in the Lango Sub-region. “We will continue advocating for the protection of land among the people in our communities,” Odongo said.
Locals like Gladys Ewok, a resident of Acandyang A village, Anerolibi Parish, Okwongodul Sub-county, expressed hope and excitement about the campaign. “We are happy that now we will have access to indigenous seeds once again,” Ewok said, reflecting the optimism of many in the community.
About LEMU
LEMU is a non-governmental organisation that works to ensure that all people have fair access to land and natural resources. The organisation works to protect land rights held under customary tenure, and to prevent the dispossession of vulnerable groups in the country.
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