The impact of commercial sugarcane growing on community livelihoods around Kinyara Sugar Limited: a case study of Karujubu division, Masindi district.

Abstract

Sugarcane cultivation has emerged as a significant economic activity in Uganda, particularly in Karujubu division, where households are increasingly turning to sugarcane growing to meet the rising demand for sugar in the region. This research aims to comprehensively examine the implications of commercial sugarcane growing on community livelihoods in Karujubu Division focusing on three specific objectives. Firstly, the study will assess the effects of commercial sugarcane growing on household food security. Secondly, the investigation will delve into effects of commercial sugarcane growing on household income. Lastly, the research will explore the impact of commercial sugarcane growing on employment in the area livelihoods. The study was carried out in Karujubu division where questionnaires were distributed to 100 respondents who were randomly selected from the population to collect data. The collected data underwent a three-tier analysis namely univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses. The study examined the demographic characteristics of respondents. The results showcase a balanced gender distribution among respondents with 52% being male and 48% female. A significant majority of 87% of the respondents were attached to sugarcane growing, highlighting the significance of this activity within the community. The study revealed that within the group involved in sugarcane growing, a considerable majority of 41% falls within the 20-29 age group. Remarkably, all 36 individuals in this age group were employed as out growers (0.046%), factory (0.1%) and farm workers (0.264%). These findings signify the active engagement of the young population in the sugarcane sector in the area. The study revealed that individuals with primary education (32% of the respondents) had lower income compared to those with secondary education (63%), while those with tertiary education (5%) had higher income than those with secondary education. This suggests a positive relationship between higher levels of education and increased household income. The study further revealed that households with at least 4 members were more likely to be food insecure and an increase in the number of the household size increased household expenditure. The study proposes increased investment in human capital development especially in education where individuals will acquire valuable skills and knowledge which in turn will raise their income potential. Promote family planning initiatives to help individuals make informed decisions about family size so as to have manageable households to reduce on the strain on available food supplies.