Conflict Over Environmental Resources: Tensions between the Refugees and Host Communities in Adjumani District, Northern Uganda

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dc.contributor.authorOkello Moses Rubangangeyo
dc.date.accessioned2026-09-30T08:03:47Z
dc.date.available2026-09-30T08:03:47Z
dc.date.issued2026-09-28
dc.description.abstractThis study analyzed the complex dynamics of environmental resource-related conflicts between refugees and host communities in Adjumani District, Northern Uganda. Its general objective was to analyze the extent to which the influx of South Sudanese refugees had created these tensions. Specifically, the research aimed to investigate the factors that contributed to these conflicts, assess their socio-economic impact on both refugee and host populations, and analyze the effectiveness of existing policies and interventions designed to address them. The study employed a qualitative research design. Data were accurately collected through 8 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), 2 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and 31 household interviews conducted with both refugee and host community members. The primary data was complemented by a comprehensive review of relevant secondary literature and policy documents. Data analysis utilized a thematic approach, incorporating verbatim quotes to capture the real lived experiences and perspectives of the participants. Findings revealed that intense competition over increasingly scarce environmental resources, particularly land, water, and firewood, exacerbated by environmental degradation and inadequate resource management, significantly fuelled tensions. These conflicts had profound socio-economic consequences, including disrupted livelihoods, increased poverty, strained social cohesion, and heightened safety concerns, particularly for vulnerable women and girls. While various conflict resolution mechanisms and environmental restoration efforts were in place, the study identified critical gaps in policy implementation, resource limitations, and a notable lack of equitable host community involvement, which often led to further resentment. The study concluded that environmental resource conflicts in Adjumani were complex and deeply affected both refugee and host populations, indicating that current interventions, despite their good intentions, were often insufficient or inequitably applied. It recommended the urgent need for more inclusive and context-specific policies, equitable resource management practices, and strengthened community-based conflict resolution mechanisms that meaningfully engaged all stakeholders. A limitation of this research was its specific geographical focus on Adjumani, which might limit the direct generalizability of findings to all refugee-hosting contexts. Future research could explore quantitative measures of resource depletion or long-term impacts of specific policy interventions to build upon these insights.
dc.description.sponsorshipSelf-Sponsored, Building Stronger University Project (BSU4), under Master Completion Grant 2024/2025
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14270/952
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectEnvironmental resources
dc.subjectConflict
dc.subjectTension
dc.subjectRefugees
dc.subjectand Host Communities
dc.titleConflict Over Environmental Resources: Tensions between the Refugees and Host Communities in Adjumani District, Northern Uganda

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