IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v11y2022i11p2092-d978336.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Forest and Land Rights at a Time of Deforestation and Climate Change: Land and Resource Use Crisis in Uganda

Author

Listed:
  • Dastan Bamwesigye

    (Department of Forest and Wood Products Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic)

  • Raymond Chipfakacha

    (Raymond Chipfakacha, Higherlife Foundation, Suite 5, Westgate House East, David Frost Way Westgate, Harare 6XQG+5XH, Zimbabwe)

  • Evans Yeboah

    (Department of Forest and Wood Products Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
    Department of Business Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Globally, nations are targeting to achieve the “Green Deal 2030” and “Biodiversity Strategy 2030” to protect and conserve forest ecosystems. Forest land rights that define the nature of forest use have been rendered useless in many developing countries. Uganda is an African country endowed with tropical rainforests. Forests and other protected areas continue to decline due to deforestation and forest degradation in Uganda. Moreover, Uganda is an example of a country with a high allocation of virgin forest land to investors for development projects including agriculture. This paper examined perceptions of Ugandans on property rights and associated factors that impact the implementation of these rights in Uganda. The study conducted a questionnaire survey and obtained a sample size of 199. Key informant interviews (KIIs) on land and forest land rights in Uganda were conducted to get to the bottom of the problem. The results confirm high corruption (82%) and crime in Uganda’s land and forest rights management. Respondents highlighted limited transparency in implementing land and forest property rights. The study concluded that corruption and a lack of transparency frustrate property rights implementation in Uganda. The study recommends the government to prioritize fighting corruption and promoting transparency in the management of land and forest property, among others resources. Properly implementing land rights is vital in protecting and conserving forest ecosystems and other resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Dastan Bamwesigye & Raymond Chipfakacha & Evans Yeboah, 2022. "Forest and Land Rights at a Time of Deforestation and Climate Change: Land and Resource Use Crisis in Uganda," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:11:p:2092-:d:978336
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/11/2092/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/11/2092/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yin, Runsheng & Zulu, Leo & Qi, Jiaguo & Freudenberger, Mark & Sommerville, Matthew, 2016. "Empirical linkages between devolved tenure systems and forest conditions: Challenges, findings, and recommendations," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 294-299.
    2. Xie, Yi & Wen, Yali & Zhang, Yaoqi & Li, Xiaoyong, 2013. "Impact of property rights reform on household forest management investment: An empirical study of southern China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 73-78.
    3. Catherine Boone, 2019. "Legal Empowerment of the Poor through Property Rights Reform: Tensions and Trade-offs of Land Registration and Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(3), pages 384-400, March.
    4. Yin, Runsheng, 2016. "Empirical linkages between devolved tenure systems and forest conditions: An introduction to the literature review," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 271-276.
    5. Yin, Runsheng & Zulu, Leo & Qi, Jiaguo & Freudenberger, Mark & Sommerville, Matthew, 2016. "Empirical linkages between devolved tenure systems and forest conditions: Primary evidence," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 277-285.
    6. Lynn Khadiagala, 2001. "The Failure of Popular Justice in Uganda: Local Councils and Women’s Property Rights," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 32(1), pages 55-76, January.
    7. Stickler, M. Mercedes & Huntington, Heather & Haflett, Aleta & Petrova, Silvia & Bouvier, Ioana, 2017. "Does de facto forest tenure affect forest condition? Community perceptions from Zambia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(P1), pages 32-45.
    8. Nichiforel, Liviu & Deuffic, Philippe & Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark & Weiss, Gerhard & Hujala, Teppo & Keary, Kevin & Lawrence, Anna & Avdibegović, Mersudin & Dobšinská, Zuzana & Feliciano, Diana & Górriz-, 2020. "Two decades of forest-related legislation changes in European countries analysed from a property rights perspective," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    9. Moses Musinguzi & Stig Enemark & Simon Peter Mwesigye, 2021. "Fit for Purpose Land Administration: Country Implementation Strategy for Addressing Uganda’s Land Tenure Security Problems," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-24, June.
    10. Dastan Bamwesigye & Petra Hlavackova & Andrea Sujova & Jitka Fialova & Petr Kupec, 2020. "Willingness to Pay for Forest Existence Value and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, January.
    11. Liu Yang & Yang Ren, 2020. "Has China’s New Round of Collective Forestland Tenure Reform Caused an Increase in Rural Labor Transfer?," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-17, August.
    12. Yang Yang & Hua Li & Long Cheng & Youliang Ning, 2021. "Effect of Land Property Rights on Forest Resources in Southern China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, April.
    13. Steven Lawry & Cyrus Samii & Ruth Hall & Aaron Leopold & Donna Hornby & Farai Mtero, 2017. "The impact of land property rights interventions on investment and agricultural productivity in developing countries: a systematic review," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 61-81, January.
    14. Irimie, Doru Leonard & Essmann, Hans Friedrich, 2009. "Forest property rights in the frame of public policies and societal change," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 95-101, March.
    15. Dastan Bamwesigye & Petr Kupec & Georges Chekuimo & Jindrich Pavlis & Obed Asamoah & Samuel Antwi Darkwah & Petra Hlaváčková, 2020. "Charcoal and Wood Biomass Utilization in Uganda: The Socioeconomic and Environmental Dynamics and Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.
    16. Coleman, Eric A. & Fleischman, Forrest D., 2012. "Comparing Forest Decentralization and Local Institutional Change in Bolivia, Kenya, Mexico, and Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 836-849.
    17. Eric A. Coleman & Scott S. Liebertz, 2014. "Property Rights and Forest Commons," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 649-668, June.
    18. Rugadya, Margaret A., 2020. "Land tenure as a cause of tensions and driver of conflict among mining communities in Karamoja, Uganda: Is secure property rights a solution?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    19. Jagger, Pamela, 2014. "Confusion vs. clarity: Property rights and forest use in Uganda," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 32-41.
    20. Oliveira Fiorini, Ana Carolina & Mullally, Conner & Swisher, Marilyn & Putz, Francis E., 2020. "Forest cover effects of payments for ecosystem services: Evidence from an impact evaluation in Brazil," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    21. Lambini, Cosmas Kombat & Nguyen, Trung Thanh, 2014. "A comparative analysis of the effects of institutional property rights on forest livelihoods and forest conditions: Evidence from Ghana and Vietnam," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 178-190.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Olegas Beriozovas & Dalia Perkumienė & Mindaugas Škėma & Abdellah Saoualih & Larbi Safaa & Marius Aleinikovas, 2024. "Research Advancement in Forest Property Rights: A Thematic Review over Half a Decade Using Natural Language Processing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-28, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yiwen, Zhang & Kant, Shashi & Dong, Jiayun & Liu, Jinlong, 2020. "How communities restructured forest tenure throughout the top-down devolution reform: Using the case of Fujian, China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    2. Long, Hexing & de Jong, Wil & Yiwen, Zhang & Liu, Jinlong, 2021. "Institutional choices between private management and user group management during forest devolution: A case study of forest allocation in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Cappelli, Federica & Caravaggio, Nicola & Vaquero-Piñeiro, Cristina, 2022. "Buen Vivir and forest conservation in Bolivia: False promises or effective change?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    4. Zhang Yiwen & Shashi Kant & Hexing Long, 2020. "Collective Action Dilemma after China’s Forest Tenure Reform: Operationalizing Forest Devolution in a Rapidly Changing Society," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Putraditama, Andika & Kim, Yeon-Su & Sánchez Meador, Andrew Joel, 2019. "Community forest management and forest cover change in Lampung, Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Yang Ren & Jari Kuuluvainen & Anne Toppinen & Shunbo Yao & Sami Berghäll & Heimo Karppinen & Caixia Xue & Liu Yang, 2018. "The Effect of China’s New Circular Collective Forest Tenure Reform on Household Non-Timber Forest Product Production in Natural Forest Protection Project Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Duan, Wei & Shen, Jinyu & Hogarth, Nicholas J. & Chen, Qian, 2021. "Risk preferences significantly affect household investment in timber forestry: Empirical evidence from Fujian, China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    8. Olegas Beriozovas & Dalia Perkumienė & Mindaugas Škėma & Abdellah Saoualih & Larbi Safaa & Marius Aleinikovas, 2024. "Research Advancement in Forest Property Rights: A Thematic Review over Half a Decade Using Natural Language Processing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-28, September.
    9. Huang, Wei, 2019. "Forest condition change, tenure reform, and government-funded eco-environmental programs in Northeast China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 67-74.
    10. Liu, Shilei & Xia, Jun, 2021. "Forest harvesting restriction and forest restoration in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    11. Ke, Shuifa & Qiao, Dan & Yuan, Wantong & He, Youjun, 2020. "Broadening the scope of forest transition inquiry: What does China's experience suggest?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    12. Caravaggio, Nicola, 2020. "Economic growth and the forest development path: A theoretical re-assessment of the environmental Kuznets curve for deforestation," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    13. Bocci, Corinne & Sohngen, Brent & Finnegan, Bridget & Milian, Bayron, 2022. "An analysis of migrant characteristics in forest-dwelling communities in northern Guatemala," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    14. Krul, Kees & Ho, Peter & Yang, Xiuyun, 2020. "Incentivizing household forest management in China's forest reform: Limitations to rights-based approaches in Southwest China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    15. Feng, Xin & Dai, Yongwu, 2019. "An innovative type of forest insurance in China based on the robust approach," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 23-32.
    16. McLain, Rebecca & Lawry, Steven & Ojanen, Maria, 2018. "Fisheries’ Property Regimes and Environmental Outcomes: A Realist Synthesis Review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 213-227.
    17. Jaligot, Rémi & Kemajou, Armel & Chenal, Jérôme, 2018. "Cultural ecosystem services provision in response to urbanization in Cameroon," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 641-649.
    18. Kazungu, Moses & Zhunusova, Eliza & Yang, Anastasia Lucy & Kabwe, Gillian & Gumbo, Davison J. & Günter, Sven, 2020. "Forest use strategies and their determinants among rural households in the Miombo woodlands of the Copperbelt Province, Zambia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    19. Pelletier, Johanne & Hamalambo, Boniface & Trainor, Anne & Barrett, Christopher B., 2021. "How land tenure and labor relations mediate charcoal’s environmental footprint in Zambia: Implications for sustainable energy transitions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    20. Hyde, William F. & Olmos, Virginia Morales & Robalino, Juan & da Gama e Silva, Zenobio Abel Gouvêa Perelli & Susaeta, Andres & Yin, Runsheng, 2022. "Latin America: A regional perspective on its forest policy and economics," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:11:p:2092-:d:978336. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.