Strategies for sustainable land management and poverty reduction in Uganda

Poverty reduction is one of the overarching objectives of most of Sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income countries. Accordingly, one of IFPRI’s major research themes focuses on policies and strategies for poverty reduction. This research report contributes knowledge to that theme. It also contributes to IFPRI’s ongoing investigation of policies and strategies that foster broad-based and environmentally sustainable agricultural and rural development. In Uganda, where soil erosion and depletion of soil nutrients are widespread, land degradation is a major cause of declining productivity and increasing poverty. In this study, Ephraim Nkonya and his colleagues measure the relative merits of various household income strategies and land management practices in Uganda to determine which most effectively improve agricultural production, household income, and the condition of the land. They determine the causes of land degradation, examine the impacts of policies and programs on income strategies and land management decisions, and assess the trade-offs and complementarities among different objectives. Most policies that boost income and productivity while reducing adverse effects on the environment involve trade-offs. For example, improved education is shown to lead to higher incomes and better soil nutrient balances, but it may also reduce crop production and increase soil erosion, as a result of reduced farm labor intensity. No single solution will improve all outcomes simultaneously: different solutions are required for different situations and localities. Although opportunities for wins all around the board are few, this report provides a wealth of information to help the farmers and policymakers of Uganda and other diverse nations weigh their options for increasing agricultural productivity and sustainability. Its analysis of the complex relationships among different interventions will surely prove useful in designing policies and strategies for addressing land degradation and poverty sustainably.