The issue of Land Tenure, a Challenge for farmers Development Ayebare Prudence Aijuka, Policy Research Assistant Uganda National Farmers Federation 04/05/2016 – Livingstone -Zambia

About UNFFE UNFFE is a membership based farmers Organisation formed in 1992 With 96 members out of which 76 are DFAs and 20 Commodity Specific Organisations approximately 3,000,000 Million Farmers UNFFE reaches farmers through a structure from National to the district, Village, and individual farmers.

About UNFFE Vision: Empowered farmers for sustainable development Mission; To organize, advocate for favorable policies and transform farmers into prosperous communities.

Strategic Objectives 1 : Enhance promotion of favorable policies and advocacy for farmers 2: Enhance farmer institutional development and capacity 3. Agribusiness development financing and resource mobilization 4: Sustainable Land Management and agricultural productivity

Introduction Land is a table for any economic activity globally: with out land there is no production no life. In Ugandan some cultures land is a fountain of honor,

Cont.. In rural areas it hard to survive with out land though it is usually hereditary It is indeed a key factor of production and a center agricultural development globally. Fish, forestry, crop, animal agro industry. Land tenure is the relationship in which land is owned

Land tenure History in Uganda Brief about Uganda Uganda is Located in EAC region, one of the countries in Sub Saharan African Region Majority of the population is youthful over 60% ( Census 2014) - enough labor for agriculture, we have fertile soils, fair conducive climate with 2 seasons a year. We are an agricultural economy, 80% of the population depending on agricultural sector.

Cont.. Uganda is one of the British Colonies during the partition of Africa - this has had roots in our land tenure systems since Uganda is one of the unique countries where most of the tenure systems are very functional and in some cases they overlap. It is difficult to identify a single land tenure for Uganda as a whole. Most of our tenure systems date back in the pre colonial and colonial times.

Cont.. In the pre colonial era, land ownership was mainly in the hands of kingdoms, chiefs and kings etc In colonial era there was some change in the ownership and in this some agreements were signed in regard to this.- Land was divided among kingdoms, chiefs, indviduals and colonialists

Major Land reforms in Uganda 1975 land reform decree Changed legal basis of land in Uganda to public land, Freehold and mailo were transformed into Mailo 1995 Constitution Land was vested back to the citizens. Individual rights to land are secured by occupation. Mailo and free hold had been restored. Land act of This originated from the changes made in the constitution VGGT. Intergrted Uganda Land policy

Tenure Systems in Uganda. In Uganda Both formal and informal land systems are both operational and sometimes overlap. Mailo - Ownership is unlimited and indefinite. Lease hold - through contractual agreement Customary - Customary rules, communal ownership Free hold - certificate of ownership, unlimited and indefinite ownership.

Relevance of Land Tenure systems to the agricultural development Uganda as an agro-based economy, land is a key resource for production - A tool to reduce poverty. Majority of the farming is in the rural areas ( Subsistence farming) and thus need adequate land. In rural areas the most common type of tenure is Customary tenure system. Most of the land grabbing happen mainly in rural areas where land is underutilized. Land tenure Agricultural and development need financing to be efficient in any way.

Evidences of Land tenure challenges to agricultural devt Land fragmentation due to population increase. Increase in the Untitled land Land grabbing Land ownership Increased land conflicts

Evidences Cont…. Increased Scarcity of agricultural land has emerged due to population increase. Increased urbanization in some cases has been as a result of limited accessibility to land. Policy environment- Liberalization and commercialization of land Emerging issues like Climate change, industrialization.

Recommendations - Build the capacity of farmers on the accessibility and right ownership of tenure. - Streamline the VGGT since they are farmer supportive -Lobby for agricultural financing to access land -Improve policy on access and control -Dialogue and networking

Conclusion Food security is directly dependant on Tenure security without land it hard to attain the security of food.. As agricultural dependant countries emphasis should be put to enabling them get an effective tenure systems that will support their agricultural production. We embrace new globalization issues, Liberalization and investments but we still need a new through about our rural poor.

THANK YOU For God and My Country UNFFE- “Farming is Honorable and Di gnifying”