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Human-induced land degradation in biodiverse regions like Mount Elgon threatens vital ecosystems. This study employs drone mapping and community insights to assess land use changes, degradation, and restoration in Mount Elgon, Uganda. Drone monitoring (2020–2023) covered six sites, complemented by household surveys (n = 499), Focus Group Discussions (FDGs), and interviews. Drone imagery shows agriculture and planted forest as dominant land use types, gradually replacing tropical high forest, bushland, and grassland. Drone image results showed that smallholder subsistence farming is leading to and enhancing degradation. Landslides and encroachment into the park were detected in three of the six sites. Trenches were the most adopted Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) measure. The trench adoption varied by location and crop type, creating restoration potential, notably in Elgon, Nabyoko, and Shiteka. Interviews and FGDs revealed adoption of trenches, grass strips, and afforestation as remedies to land degradation. Complex interactions exists among land use, degradation, and SWC measures in the upper Manafwa watershed, underscoring the urgency of addressing landslides and encroachment into the forest. Community-based initiatives are vital for hands-on SWC training, emphasizing long-term benefits. Collaboration among government, local communities, and NGOs is crucial to enforce conservation and restore Mt. Elgon National Park, while encouraging diversified income sources can reduce land dependency and mitigate degradation risks.

Terrain parameters such as slope aspect, angle, curvature, stream power and altitude have been noted to spur landslide occurrence as well as, acting as a hindrance to evacuation efforts. Yet, persons with disabilities (PWDs) are seldom given priority during rescue and recovery programmes during pre- and post-disaster evacuation. The study was guided by two objectives, namely, (1) to map the landslide risk for households of PWDs and (2) to investigate the disability type that is perceived to be most affected by landslides. A cross-sectional household survey was adopted employing snowball sampling, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) for primary data collection. A 30-m Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was used for terrain spatial landslide risk analysis in ArcGis 10.8 and System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses (SAGA) tools. A one-sample t-test in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 was used to analyse the score values on a five-point Likert scale to ascertain the perceived landslide effect on the different disability categories. Qualitative data was subjected to content analysis. We found out that majority of PWDs live in high-risk landslide zones with 1400 m – 1700 m, S-E, 10–80, > 10, and –0.8–0.13 of altitude, aspect, slope angle, Stream Power Index (SPI), and slope curvature, respectively. T-test results revealed that blind and deaf-blind were perceived as most affected by landslides with t(31) = 58.42, mean = 4.7, p < 0.0001, and t(31) = 34.8, mean 4.6, p < 0.0001. The deaf people were perceived to also be highly affected by landslides with t(31) = 34.4, mean = 3.9, p < 0.0001. In conclusion, PWDs in Bushika were highly susceptible to landslide hazards and yet considered as a minority for rescue and recovery during landslide occurrences. We recommend for prioritisation of inclusive disaster programmes such as disaster training, relocation, and resettlement to reduce vul

Analyzing the dominant forms and extent of land cover changes in the Mount Elgon region is important for tracking conservation efforts and sustainable land management. Mount Elgon’s rugged terrain limits the monitoring of these changes over large areas. This study used multitemporal satellite imagery to analyze and quantify the land cover changes in the upper Manafwa watershed of Mount Elgon, for 42 years covering an area of 320 km2. The study employed remote sensing techniques, geographic information systems, and software to map land cover changes over four decades (1978, 1988, 2001, 2010, and 2020). The maximum likelihood classifier and post-classification comparison technique were used in land cover classification and change detection analysis. The results showed a positive percentage change (gain) in planted forest (3966%), built-up (890%), agriculture (186%), and tropical high forest low-stocked (119%) and a negative percentage change (loss) in shrubs (−81%), bushland (−68%), tropical high forest well-stocked (−50%), grassland (−44%), and bare and sparsely vegetated surfaces (−14%) in the period of 1978–2020. The observed changes were concentrated mainly at the peripheries of the Mount Elgon National Park. The increase in population and rising demand for agricultural land were major driving factors. However, regreening as a restoration effort has led to an increase in land area for planted forests, attributed to an improvement in conservation-related activities jointly implemented by the concerned stakeholders and native communities. These findings revealed the spatial and temporal land cover changes in the upper Manafwa watershed. The results could enhance restoration and conservation efforts when coupled with studies on associated drivers of these changes and the use of very-high-resolution remote sensing on areas where encroachment is visible in the park.

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are at a greater risk to the impacts of climate variability. We therefore sought to assess vulnerability of smallholder sorghum farmers to climate variability in Kigezi highlands of south-western Uganda. A vulnerability index that integrates selected socio-economic and biophysical variables was obtained through key informant interviews and household surveys, from 230 conveniently sampled sorghum farming households within three sub-counties differentiated by altitude. Rainfall data were obtained from Uganda National Meteorological Authority. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 23) and STATA software to generate inferential and descriptive statistics, notably frequencies, percentages and chi-square tests, to establish relationship between variables. Content analysis was used to generate themes emerging from the qualitative data. The overall vulnerability index results indicate Kashambya as the most vulnerable (6.9), followed by Bubare (1.8), while Kamwezi was the least vulnerable (–0.2). This study recommends targeted extension services such as access to customised weather information and better agronomic practices to reduce smallholder sorghum farmers’ vulnerability.

This paper presents new data on urban households’ agriculture, food environments and non-communicable disease (obesity, diabetes, hypertension) in two intermediate-sized Ugandan cities (Mbale and Mbarara). Nutrition transition theory suggests that fast-foods, eating out and supermarket shopping, together with sedentary urban lifestyles and less agricultural activity, are drivers of growing non-communicable disease burden. We explore these claims using statistics from a 2015 socio-economic and anthropometric survey of 1995 households. Results indicate that these cities are already experiencing non-communicable diseases, despite a lack of advanced food system and nutritional transitions. Surveyed households generally had low or medium dietary diversity, and a diet pattern and an agricultural practice primarily geared towards staple foods. Food transfers (mainly staples) from rural relatives were common, particularly for agricultural households. These farming households also had better income status than non-farming households. Experience of food insecurity was relatively common. Nevertheless, high prevalence and strongly gendered patterns of obesity were identified. In contrast to some theorising of the farming practice of urban-based households, there was little evidence that such agriculture was fuelled by poverty, vulnerability or migrant status. Findings also imply that there are other drivers of epidemiologic change in these cities than those suggested by nutrition transition theory., Agriculture and Double Burden Malnutrition in Urban Africa