There are journeys that take you to a destination, and there are journeys that transform the way you understand the world. My recent visit to Adjumani District in northern Uganda was one of the latter.
I travelled to Adjumani to conduct a study titled “Land Conflict: A Threat to Food Security in Adjumani District.” The research sought to understand how land-related challenges are affecting food production and livelihoods among both refugees and host communities. While I expected to collect data, I returned with something far more valuable, a deeper appreciation of the resilience of people living under incredibly difficult circumstances.
The journey itself hinted at the realities that lay ahead. Travelling by bus from Kampala through Gulu and Amuru to Adjumani Town took several hours over long stretches of deteriorating roads. Rising transport costs and the rough terrain served as an early reminder of the logistical challenges faced by communities in this part of Uganda.
From Adjumani Town, I travelled another 40 kilometres by motorcycle to Pakele Sub-county, home to Ayilo II Refugee Settlement. The dusty roads, scorching heat, and vast open landscapes painted a picture of a region that remains geographically isolated despite hosting thousands of refugees fleeing conflict in neighbouring countries.
I was warmly welcomed by the Medical Mission Sisters, whose generosity made the fieldwork possible. Beyond providing accommodation, they availed their community vehicle, allowing us to reach remote villages and refugee communities that would otherwise have been difficult to access. Their quiet commitment to serving vulnerable communities was both inspiring and humbling.
As we travelled through Pakele and Ayilo II Refugee Settlement, one reality became impossible to ignore: poverty remains widespread. Grass-thatched houses dominate the landscape. Electricity is almost non-existent in many areas. Yet the region possesses extensive fertile land capable of producing abundant food.
This contradiction became the heart of my research.
If fertile land is available, why do many households continue to struggle with food insecurity?
The answer, as revealed through countless conversations, is far more complex than a shortage of land. Land ownership disputes, competing interests between refugees and host communities, unclear boundaries, population pressure, environmental degradation, and limited agricultural investment all combine to reduce productivity and undermine household food security.
Every interview uncovered another layer of this complex relationship between land and livelihoods.
The refugee settlement itself presented a striking picture of resilience. Refugees from different backgrounds—including South Sudanese communities such as the Dinka and Madi, as well as people from the Democratic Republic of Congo—live side by side in designated settlement blocks. Although many families possess very little, they continue to cultivate small gardens, care for their children, and work tirelessly to rebuild their lives.
One moment that stayed with me was the eagerness of many refugees to participate in the study. They welcomed us warmly and openly shared their experiences. Many believed we had come to bring assistance rather than conduct research. Explaining that we were gathering information—not distributing aid—was often difficult because their needs are immediate and real.
Their stories reflected both hardship and hope.
Another observation that left a lasting impression was the language barrier. Some refugees, including school-going children, required interpreters during our conversations. This raised important questions about access to education, social integration, and opportunities for children growing up in multilingual refugee settings.
Interestingly, mobilising participants from the host community proved more challenging than engaging refugees. While both groups eventually participated actively, this difference highlighted the varying expectations, experiences, and perceptions surrounding research and humanitarian engagement.
Throughout the visit, I was reminded that food security cannot be separated from land governance. Land is not simply a resource for cultivation; it is a source of identity, dignity, income, and peaceful coexistence. When land becomes contested or inaccessible, its effects ripple through households, affecting nutrition, education, income, and community relations.
Adjumani has long demonstrated extraordinary generosity by hosting one of the largest refugee populations in the world. Yet this generosity places increasing pressure on land and natural resources. Without deliberate efforts to strengthen land governance, promote peaceful conflict resolution, support sustainable agriculture, and invest in rural livelihoods, both refugees and host communities will continue to face growing challenges.
As I travelled back to Kampala, I carried more than notebooks filled with interview responses. I carried the faces of farmers determined to cultivate despite uncertainty, refugees striving to build new lives after displacement, and host communities navigating the realities of sharing limited resources.
Research often begins with questions, but sometimes it ends with responsibility.
My experience in Adjumani reinforced the importance of listening to communities before designing solutions. Sustainable food security is not achieved simply by distributing food or increasing agricultural production. It requires addressing the underlying issues of land access, land governance, peaceful coexistence, and equitable development.
The people of Adjumani have shown remarkable resilience. Their stories deserve to be heard, not only because they reveal the challenges they face, but because they remind us that lasting peace and food security begin with justice, inclusion, and responsible stewardship of the land.
Innocent Byegarazo – AEFJN Uganda Antenna
