The lush, green fields of Busoga, a sub-region in Eastern Uganda, might paint a picture of prosperity and abundance. Yet, beneath this leafy facade lies a grim reality - one where small-scale land owners, once masters of their own acreages, have become laborers on the very land they once owned. This article delves into the dark side of sugar cane growing in Busoga, where economic desperation and exploitation have turned land owners into modern-day slaves.
Sugarcane cultivation in Busoga started as a profitable venture in the early 20th century, primarily driven by colonial interests. The region's fertile soils made it ideal for sugarcane, and by the1950s, large plantations, led by Madhvani Sugar Works Ltd and a few individuals, began to dominate the landscape. By 2013, Busoga had licensed eight sugarcane manufacturers, including Mayuge Sugar Factory, Kamuli Sugar Factory, Kaliro Sugar Factory, Kenlon Sugar Factory, and Bugiri Sugar Company, among others, according to Rev. Kisame George from Imanyiro Sub County, Mayuge District. He added that the allure of quick profits enticed many small-scale farmers into the industry through the out-growers' scheme, with some choosing to lease their land to larger out-growers and investors.
As sugarcane plantations expanded, the dynamics of land ownership began to shift. Smallholders, enticed by upfront payments, leased their land to wealthy out-growers, often under unfavorable terms. The initial allure of financial gain soon faded as these landowners, now without land to cultivate for subsistence, were left with no choice but to work on the very plantations they had leased out. One landowner from Mayuge district, who preferred to remain anonymous, lamented, "I thought leasing my land would bring prosperity, but instead, I’ve become a stranger on my own land, working from dawn till dusk for a pittance."
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Sugarcane Plantation Conundrum: A Cry for Help
Sugarcane plantation Conundrum: A Cry for Help. The constant increase in the number of sugarcane factories is increasing the expansion of plantations by foreign and domestic investments without safeguards. This is forcing small-scale farming households at risk of loosing their land and livelihoods while moving to other areas. Im a widow with six children, living on aquarter-acre plot of land. One day, a sugarcane outgrower neighboring us approached me with interest to buy this property, but I couldn’t agree as I had nowhere else planned to go to with these children but also my husband is buried here. He was willing to pay 6 million which i rejected. After refusing, the outgrower decided to surround us with sugarcane fields as you see, leaving us uncertain about what the future holds for us. We live day by day, unsure of what tomorrow may bring. Government should intervene quickly.
Sugarcane plantation Conundrum: A Cry for Help. The constant increase in the number of sugarcane factories is increasing the expansion of plantations by foreign and domestic investments without safeguards. This is forcing small-scale farming households at risk of loosing their land and livelihoods while moving to other areas. Im a widow with six children, living on aquarter-acre plot of land. One day, a sugarcane outgrower neighboring us approached me with interest to buy this property, but I couldn’t agree as I had nowhere else planned to go to with these children but also my husband is buried here. He was willing to pay 6 million which i rejected. After refusing, the outgrower decided to surround us with sugarcane fields as you see, leaving us uncertain about what the future holds for us. We live day by day, unsure of what tomorrow may bring. Government should intervene quickly.
Alupot Sarah a widow of 6 and affected land user from Wairasa sub county in Mayuge district whose stay is threatened by sugarcane growing.
The transition from landowners to laborers is a painful one. In many cases, entire families, including husbands, wives, and their children, find themselves working under harsh conditions on the plantations. The dream of a better life through sugarcane cultivation has, for many, turned into a nightmare.The RDC of Luuka district during the closing event of the Land Awareness Week 2024 echoed these sentiments. "Sugarcane growing was supposed to uplift our people, but it has done the opposite especially the small-scale farmers," "Our people are now trapped in a cycle of poverty, with no land to grow food and no way out of the sugarcane economy”. “Families that once thrived on their small farms, producing food for their own consumption and for sale, now struggle to make ends meet. With their land tied up in long-term leases, they have become dependent on meager wages earned from backbreaking work on sugarcane plantations”.
The economic impact of sugarcane growing in Busoga has been disastrous. According to a report by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2022, the sub-region has seen a significant decline in food security. The report highlights that over 60% of households in Busoga now suffer from food insecurity, a sharp increase from 35% a decade ago and malnutrition leveling to approximately 29%. As food production dwindles, prices of staple foods have skyrocketed, further straining household budgets. The once-thriving local markets, where farmers sold their surplus produce, have become ghost towns, with little to offer except sugarcane - a crop that cannot feed the hungry. "Families are selling off their remaining assets to buy food," Kibudde Yoramu an agricultural extension officer in Kityerera subcounty, Mayuge District. He added that "The situation is dire, and it’s only getting worse."
The economic hardships from sugarcane cultivation have led to severe social consequences, including a rise in gender-based violence (GBV) within households. As men lease land without consulting their wives, tensions and conflicts increase, often resulting in violence. Women, who once played a key role in farming, now find themselves marginalized, losing economic independence and becoming dependent on their husbands' wages from the plantations. This power imbalance frequently leads to abuse. An opinion poll conducted ESAFF Uganda Land Rights Support Centre justified by the LAW 2024 visits revealed that 70% of women in sugarcane-growing areas of Busoga, particularly in Mayuge, Jinja, Luuka, and Iganga districts, have experienced domestic violence. Children are also affected, often forced to work on plantations instead of attending school. The sight of children working with machetes instead of attending classes is now a common and troubling reality in Busoga sub-region.
The term "modern-day slavery" is not used lightly. In Busoga, it is a harsh reality for many. Slavery in this context does not just refer to the exploitation of workers on the plantations but the fact that former landowners, who should have had a secure livelihood, are now enslaved by the very system they helped create. They are trapped in a cycle of poverty, with no land, no food, and no way out. Their only option is to work for the same people who took their land, under conditions that are often exploitative and degrading. The dream of sugarcane wealth has become a nightmare of debt, hunger, malnutrition and hopelessness.
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Navigating Land Access and Food Insecurity: Women Farmers' Plight
In places like Mayuge where sugarcane cultivation dominates, women small-scale farmers are facing significant challenges such as inequalities, poverty, and food insecurity due to their limited access to land and resources. Despite the lucrative nature of sugarcane farming, most women are excluded from cultivating it and instead rely on growing crops like potatoes and cassava along the boundaries of sugarcane plantations. Additionally, issues of ownership and decision-making within the household are further exacerbating the economic struggles faced by women farmers in this region.
"As a woman small-scale farmer in a sugarcane-growing region, I strive to overcome the challenges of limited land access and food insecurity to support my family."
Navigating Land Access and Food Insecurity: Women Farmers' Plight
In places like Mayuge where sugarcane cultivation dominates, women small-scale farmers are facing significant challenges such as inequalities, poverty, and food insecurity due to their limited access to land and resources. Despite the lucrative nature of sugarcane farming, most women are excluded from cultivating it and instead rely on growing crops like potatoes and cassava along the boundaries of sugarcane plantations. Additionally, issues of ownership and decision-making within the household are further exacerbating the economic struggles faced by women farmers in this region.
"As a woman small-scale farmer in a sugarcane-growing region, I strive to overcome the challenges of limited land access and food insecurity to support my family."
Nankya Maimuna from Namasiga in Mayuge district struggling with finding spaces to grow food for the family.
Mr. Hakim Baliraine, Chairperson of ESAFF Uganda, voiced concern during the LAW 2024 in Mayuge district -that despite being the largest sugarcane growing region in Uganda, the people of Busoga might remain impoverished unless given special consideration. He highlighted that many rent out their land at just 500,000 Uganda shillings per acre for five years, leaving them landless. "You see sugarcane plantations in front of their homes, but those plantations aren't theirs - they’re stuck with no land of their own," he noted. He added that the displacement for sugarcane plantations not only robs communities of their livelihoods but also is disrupting local food production, which many relied on for both consumption and income.
Despite the dire situation, efforts have been made to tackle the challenges of sugarcane growing in Busoga. Some district local governments reported to have enacted ordinances and by-laws to protect landowners from exploitative leases. In Jinja District, for instance, anew ordinance mandates that all land leases must be reviewed by a local council committee to ensure fairness. In Luuka District, an ordinance prohibits individuals with less than two acres from growing sugarcane, alongside by-laws preventing children from working on plantations during school days. However, enforcement remains weak, and many landowners are still unaware of their rights, says Munaba Israel the district development officer of Iganga district during the LAW 2024.
ESAFF Uganda, a key land rights advocate, that spearheaded the Land Awareness Week through its Land Rights Support Centre (LRSC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development and other land actors, dedicated to work with community groups to continue raising awareness beyond the week by organizing land camps, community dialogues, and legal aid clinics in the sub-region. ESAFF Uganda’s efforts focus on ensuring that vulnerable groups, such as women and youth small-scale farmers, have access to critical land rights and land use information, even though the path to recovery is long. ESAFF Uganda also remains committed to pressuring the government to take stronger action, whether by regulating the sugarcane industry by revising the national sugarcane plantation policy and Act or providing alternative livelihoods for those affected.
The story of sugarcane growing in Busoga Sub-region is a cautionary tale of how economic exploitation can turn Household landowners into laborers, stripping them of their dignity and trapping them in a cycle of poverty, domestic violence, food and nutritional insecurity. The promise of prosperity through sugarcane has, for many, become a curse. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, involving legal reforms, economic support, and, most importantly, giving a voice back to those who have been silenced. The people of Busoga deserve better, and it is up to all stakeholders- government, civil society, and the private sector - to ensure that the dark reality of modern-day slavery in sugarcane growing is brought to an end.
Disclaimer: The cover picture used in this story is not a product of the author rather that of Monitor Publications
Alupot Sarah a widow of 6 and affected land user from Wairasa sub county in Mayuge district whose stay is threatened by sugarcane growing. 
Nankya Maimuna from Namasiga in Mayuge district struggling with finding spaces to grow food for the family.