By Vicent Emong
Communities in the Teso Sub-Region have been urged to reconsider how they manage and share their land in order to safeguard the region’s agricultural future.
The call was made by Dorcas Okalany, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, while officiating at the issuance of Certificates of Customary Ownership (CCOs) to beneficiaries in Kumi District.
Speaking during the ceremony, Okalany challenged communities in the Teso Sub-Region to avoid excessive land fragmentation, warning that the continued division of family land into increasingly smaller portions could have serious consequences for future generations.
“Land is my issue, and that is why I want everybody to have land security,” she said. “But it is also important to think about how we use the land we inherit. Families should work together and use their land collectively to generate income and sustain themselves.”
Okalany emphasized that while land inheritance is a valued cultural practice, the constant subdivision of land among family members can gradually reduce productive acreage.
According to her, if the trend continues unchecked, it could eventually reach a point where even grandchildren and great-grandchildren will struggle to find enough land to cultivate food.
“If we all begin fragmenting land, we will not be able to sustain ourselves. Our great-grandchildren may find there is nowhere left to grow food,” she warned.
She further noted that Uganda is fortunate to possess fertile and largely organic soils capable of supporting diverse agricultural production.
To illustrate alternative ways communities can manage land effectively, Okalany cited practices in Karamoja, where extended families often live within the same compound and share land resources collectively rather than dividing them into small individual plots. Such arrangements, she explained, help maintain larger productive areas for farming while strengthening family cooperation.
Beyond the issue of land fragmentation, the ministry also advised communities in Teso to reconsider the practice of permanent burials within family land. Officials noted that burying relatives across family gardens can gradually reduce the amount of land available for cultivation.
As an example, Okalany referred to practices in the Bugisu region, where communities have found ways to continue agricultural production even on land where family members are buried. In some cases, banana plantations are cultivated in such areas, ensuring that the land remains productive while still respecting cultural traditions.
Okalany encouraged beneficiaries to use their land certificates responsibly and to think beyond individual ownership toward long-term community sustainability.
“Our land is our wealth,” she said. “If we protect it, use it wisely, and avoid unnecessary fragmentation, it will continue to feed our families and support our economy for generations to come.”
Her message resonated with community leaders and residents who attended the event, many acknowledging the growing challenge of shrinking land sizes due to population growth and inheritance practices.
As the Teso Sub-Region continues to develop and its population grows, leaders say responsible land management and stronger land security systems will be critical in protecting the region’s most valuable resource—its land—for future generations.
