Sugarcane boom in Uganda’s Busoga region fuels hunger amid male-dominated contracts
Despite a sugarcane boom in Uganda’s Busoga region, hunger remains widespread. Research shows that sugar mills contract only with men, who control land and income decisions, often neglecting family food needs. Women, responsible for feeding families, are left with limited land for food crops. Experts urge contracts to include women and ensure inheritance rights to improve food security.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1)
Uganda’s Busoga region has seen a tripling in sugarcane planting between 2000 and 2024, with seven sugar mills operating locally. However, hunger remains common, with about a third of households reporting days without food in the 2024 census.
Research by a former Ugandan civil servant turned academic reveals that the root cause is not sugarcane production levels but the gendered nature of contracts. Sugar mills sign contracts exclusively with men, who control land use and income decisions. These men do not always allocate earnings to family food needs.
Women, who bear the responsibility of feeding families, are left with only the small portion of land not under sugarcane to grow food crops. This imbalance exacerbates household hunger despite the sugarcane boom.
The study recommends that the government and sugar companies revise contracting practices to include women farmers and ensure women inherit contracts when husbands die. Such changes could empower women and improve food security in Busoga.