Bitter sugarification: sugar frontier and contract farming in Uganda

Martiniello, Giuliano

doi:10.1080/14747731.2020.1794564

Cited by 33 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…In this special issue, contributions by Martiniello (2020) and Genoud (2020) problematize contract farming and question the 'win-win' assumptions through their studies of the sugarcane out grower scheme in Uganda and the 'Strategic Productive Alliance' (SPA) of palm oil in Colombia. These articles reveal a more complex set of dynamics in relation to land access and labour valuation than promoted by proponents of such arrangements.…”

Section: Contract Farming and Farm Workers In Relation To The Global mentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond land grabs: new insights on land struggles and global agrarian change

2020

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The conjunction of climate, food, and financial crises in the late 2000s triggered renewed interest in farmland and agribusiness investments around the world. This phenomenon became known as the 'global land grab' and sparked debates among social movements, NGOs, academics, government and international development agencies worldwide. In this introduction, we critically analyse the 'state of the literature' so far, and outline four areas that are moving the debate 'beyond land grabs'. These include: (1) the role of contract farming and differentiation among farm workers in the consolidation of farmland; (2) the broader forms of dispossession and mechanisms of control and value grabbing beyond 'classic' land grabs for agricultural production; (3) discourses about, and responses to, Chinese agribusiness investments abroad; and (4) the relationship between financialization and land grabbing. Ultimately, we propose new directions to deepen and even transform the research agenda on land struggles and agroindustrial restructuring around the world.

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Section: Contract Farming and Farm Workers In Relation To The Global mentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond land grabs: new insights on land struggles and global agrarian change

2020

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“…In general, the extent to which contract farming contributes to equitable sustainable development depends on how well it engages small-scale farmers 34 . Around Budongo Forest, contract farming has largely failed to engage the poorest farming households and might have restricted their access to land, with similar outcomes observed in other parts of Uganda and Africa (e.g., 36,37,81 ). Further research is needed to understand how policy responses to these challenges could support mental health.…”

Section: Land Management Policy and Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 82%

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Pienkowski¹,

Keane²,

Kinyanda³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Agricultural intensification and expanding protected areas are proposed sustainable development approaches. But, their consequences for mental health – a global priority – are poorly understood. We predict how forest conservation and contract farming may alter resource access and depression risk in rural Uganda. We asked 695 residents in 11 communities about their expectations under land management scenarios, household characteristics, and depression symptoms. Over 80% of respondents presented with a ‘business-as-usual forest-access’ scenario expected reduced forest income and food over the next decade. This number climbed to over 90% among respondents presented with a ‘restricted forest access’ scenario. Over 80% said losing forest access would increase food insecurity and poverty among forest-dependent households. Furthermore, over 99% of those presented with two land access scenarios (‘business-as-usual land access’ and ‘sugarcane expansion land access’) expected wealthy households to gain land but poorer families to lose it. This land redistribution was expected to increase poverty and food insecurity among small-scale farmers. Bayesian structural equation suggested that depression severity was positively associated with food insecurity (estimate = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.12-0.28) and economic poverty (estimate = 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.19). Conservation and agricultural approaches that restrict access to livelihood resources may threaten vulnerable groups’ mental health.

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“…Recognizing that large-scale agricultural land acquisitions can undermine development efforts, many countries, including Uganda, have promoted contract farming approaches (White et al, 2012). Yet, contract sugarcane farming has also been associated with increased inequality and land dispositional, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity in other parts of Uganda (Martiniello, 2021). For instance, Mwavu et al (2018) describe how commercial sugarcane farming was associated with reduced availability of land for food crop farming, increasing local food insecurity.…”

Section: Agro-ecological Systems and Psychological Distressmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of nature conservation and commercial farming in psychological distress among rural Ugandans

Pienkowski

Keane²,

Kinyanda

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Mental illness is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease, but there is limited understanding of how it is influenced by socio-ecological context, particularly in the global south. We asked how interactions with ecological systems influence stressors associated with psychological distress in a rural Ugandan case study. We conducted and thematically analyzed 45 semi-structured interviews with residents of Nyabyeya Parish, Masindi District. Our results suggest that poverty and food insecurity were the primary reported causes of "thinking too much" and related idioms of psychological distress. The expansion of commercial agriculture may have been associated with the contraction of subsistence farming, reportedly exacerbating poverty and food insecurity among poorer households but contributing incomes to wealthier ones. Furthermore, households bordering a conservation area reported that crop losses from wildlife contributed to food insecurity. However, forest resources were important safety nets for those facing poverty and food insecurity. Our study suggests how two globally prevalent land uses - commercial agriculture and nature conservation - may influence social determinants of psychological distress in our study area. Psychological distress does not necessarily imply mental disorder. Nonetheless, exploring socially-mediated interactions with ecosystems may help explain the etiology of psychological distress. Furthermore, we suggest opportunities to manage socio-ecological systems to support mental health, such as promoting equitable access and control of livelihood resources. We also highlight co-benefits and trade-offs between global sustainability goals that could be managed for mental health, and why these should be recognized in the anticipated 'New Deal for Nature.'

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Bitter sugarification: sugar frontier and contract farming in Uganda

Cited by 33 publications

References 36 publications

Beyond land grabs: new insights on land struggles and global agrarian change

Beyond land grabs: new insights on land struggles and global agrarian change

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

The role of nature conservation and commercial farming in psychological distress among rural Ugandans

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