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Retrogressive or misplaced priorities? An assessment of public expenditure for food security and disaster risk reduction in Uganda
No full textThe article argues that a rights-based approach to public investment and expenditure in agriculture and disaster risk management is a viable pathway for Uganda to realise the right to adequate food and sustainable development in line with the government’s national and international human rights commitments. This study employed a qualitative research paradigm to examine both primary and secondary data on public investment and expenditure in food security and disaster risk reduction in Uganda. Fifty-six key informant interviews were conducted with purposively selected officials at national and Local Government levels. Data and insights obtained were analysed using thematic and rights-based budget analyses. There is minimal application of rights-based approach principles in the budgeting for food security or disaster risk reduction in Uganda. Public expenditure in the agriculture sector and disaster risk management is inadequate to meet the increasing disasters in the country or to effectively protect the right to adequate food of vulnerable communities in disaster-prone regions. As a State Party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Uganda is obligated to protect and fulfil the right to adequate food for vulnerable communities in the event of disasters. This will require increased public and private investment in the agriculture sector and strengthening the disaster risk financing mechanisms at both national and Local Government levels
Assessment of landslide susceptibility and settlement exposure via Geospatial techniques in Bulambuli distrcit, eastern Uganda
No full text17 p.Landslide susceptibility is a significant concern in Elgon County, Uganda, particularly during the rainy season. This vulnerability is attributable to several factors, including steep slopes, fertile soils, and dense settlements on volcanic ridges. Landslide susceptibility maps are important in mitigating the risk particularly at the local level. The objectives of this study were 1) to model landslide susceptibility via an interpretable machine-learning model, 2) to identify the most influential factors for landslide susceptibility in the study area, and 3) to assess the exposure of settlements to landslide risk. This study employed the XGBoost model trained on nine conditioning factors via GIS data. Exposure analysis was performed through the zonal statistics and spatial overlay of the landslide susceptibility map with the settlement footprint data and classified into four risk exposure classes. The results show that the XGBoost model attained an AUC of 95.2%, indicating its precision. The results further revealed that approximately 50% of the slopes are susceptible to landslides and that 76% of the settlements in the study area are highly exposed to landslide risk. Bulugunya, Sisiyi, Lusha, and Buginyanya subcounties located on the middle slopes are the most susceptible areas in Elgon County and have relatively high settlement exposure because of the overlap of dense settlements with unstable terrain. The SHAP analysis identified slope, elevation, and the NDVI as the key influencing factors of susceptibility. This study highlights the importance of conducting detailed, local-scale landslide susceptibility and risk exposure mapping as necessary for risk and vulnerability assessment. The generation of such maps has the potential to inform land-use planning and risk-reduction strategies, thus offering significant advantages over regional models. Furthermore, by interpreting the XGBoost model, this study provides valuable insights into the decision-making processes of machine learning models, promoting their practical application in designing appropriate disaster mitigation plans
Employment, overseas migration, and social change in Uganda
No full textGlobally, close to 272 million people are international migrants living and employed outside their countries of birth. More than 628,905 Ugandan nationals stay and work abroad and majority of the Ugandan nationals migrated to African countries, followed by European countries, North America, and the least migrated to Latin America and the Caribbean region. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of Ugandans working abroad (employment) on the migrant remittance inflows (overseas migration and social change) in Uganda. A descriptive survey design was used with secondary data and a regression analysis. The study indicated that despite the growing number of Ugandan nationals employed abroad, they have no significant impact on social change in the country although the remittances have supported families to meet their basic needs such as rent, food, hospital bills, and support families to set up small businesses and school fees. For instance, it discovered that growth in the number of Ugandan nationals employed abroad had no significant effect on the remittance share to the gross domestic product (GDP). Similarly, the study noted that there is no steady growth in remittance inflows given the persistent growth in the Ugandan emigrants for employment in different countries. The study recommended that while Ugandan government has made several labor exportation agreements with some countries especially in the Arab states, Ugandans employed are still exploited especially in terms of salary, which consequently affects social change back home. The government should address these barriers and the absence of sufficient data on Ugandans who migrate abroad for employment. The Ministry of Gender should encourage the labor exportation agencies in the country to share the information on Ugandans exported for work
Influence of social norms on blockchain technology adoption : a structural equation modelling approach among smallholder barley farmers in Uganda
No full text8 p.Innovative agricultural technologies such as blockchain (BCT) offer transformative potential for improving crop value chains, yet their adoption remains low. While prior research has focused on infrastructure, technological, and economic barriers to adoption, social factors, critical in early adoption phases within cohesive rural communities, are often overlooked.
Social norms influence technology adoption by shaping individuals’ perceptions of what is acceptable or expected
behaviour within their community, often driving conformity to collective attitudes and practices. This study employs a
social norm analysis (SNA) approach to examine how social norms influence BCT initial adoption intentions among barley smallholder farmers in eastern Uganda. Data were collected from 245 farmers using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed with Smart PLS through structural equation modelling. The findings reveal that social norm [subjective norms (B = 0.185, p = 0.005), injunctive norms (B = 0.166, p = 0.003), normative reference groups (B = 0.125, p = 0.021), and behavioural sanctions (B = 0.390, p = 0.000)] positively shaped farmers’ attitudes (B = 0.652, p = 0.002), enhancing their intentions to adopt BCT. The study recommends that stakeholders, including the government and extension officers from barley buying companies, leverage social norms alongside non-normative factors to drive BCT adoption in rural crop value chains. These insights enrich the understanding of sociocultural dynamics influencing the initial adoption of complex technologies like blockchain
Performance comparison of decoction and ultrasound assisted extraction of Allium burdickii extracts for tie-dyeing cotton fabrics
No full textThe selection of precise variables during the extraction and colouration with natural dyes either enhances or vitiates their yield. This research study focused on the extraction of total phenolic content from Allium burdickii bulbs and their application to cotton fabric. The extraction performed using two methods, namely decoction and ultrasound-assisted extraction, was varied under three different parameters (temperature, time, and solvent type). The extracts were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed using Raman, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Gas ChromatographyMass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Subsequently, the extracts were applied on cotton fabric using four dyeing conditions (temperature, time, salt, and mordant concentration) and three mordanting methods (pre, meta, post), using the tie and dye method. The results confirmed the presence of compounds such as phenols, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins in the Allium burdickii bulb. The GC-MS profile revealed the presence of eight compounds in the extract. The highest TPC of 984.1 ± 5.6 mg GAE/g DW was attained using 50% glycerol, at 40 ˚C and for 60 min, using ultrasound-assisted extraction. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopic analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups, including nitroso, phenols, azo, triazenes, aromatic ethers, and alkenes. For fabric colouration, the highest exhaustion and fixation were 81.0% and 59.1%, respectively, obtained at 69.8 ˚C, 20 min, 5% mordant concentration, and 2% salt concentration conditions. This study has therefore demonstrated that the Allium burdickii bulb is a sustainable source of dye compounds suitable for use in textile colouration, and hence, can potentially substitute for the often toxic synthetic analogues
Efficient recovery of linear predicted coefficients based on adaptive steepest descent algorithm in signal compression for end-to-end communications
No full textThe efficiency of recovery and signal decoding efficacy at the receiver in end-to-end communications using linearly predicted coefficients are susceptible to errors, especially for highly compressed signals. In this paper, we propose a method to efficiently recover linearly predicted coefficients for high signal compression for end-to-end communications. Herein, the steepest descent algorithm is applied at the receiver to decode the affected linear predicted coefficients. Tis algorithm is used to estimate the unknown frequency, time, and phase. Subsequently, the algorithm facilitates down-conversion, time and carrier recovery, equalization, and correlation processes. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed method, parameters such as multipath interference, additive white Gaussian noise, timing, and phase noise are modeled as channel errors in signal compression using the software-defined receiver. Our results show substantial recovery efficiency with noise variance between 0 and y × 10E − 3, where y
lies between 0 and 10 using the modeled performance metrics of bit error rate, symbol error rate, and mean square error. This is promising for modeling software-defined networks using highly compressed signals in end-to-end communications
Evaluating individual characteristics’ work engagement of primary school teachers moderated by organisational factors in Acholi-Sub Region, Uganda
No full text552-561 pagesThis paper presents the influence of individual characteristics on primary school teachers’ work engagement as moderated by organizational management factors in northern Uganda. The main objective was to examine the influence of individual characteristics on the work engagement of primary school teachers in the Acholi sub-region. By applying a cross-section survey design, the study employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The primary data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire form with a total sample of 326 participants from the selected schools. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the rate of teacher absorption as well as their self-efficacy was higher than their professional dedication and commitment to their academic service delivery. In conclusion, individual teacher characteristics were vital for the work engagement outputs of the school teachers to promote school work engagement in the Acholi northern Uganda’s sub-region. The study recommended that the headteachers, education officers, boards, committees, and the government should approve individual factors that promote the work engagement ethics of the primary school teachers for better performance.Kyambogo Universit
Barriers to treatment seeking for depression among elderly service users at Butabika national referral and teaching hospital, Kampala- Uganda
No full textObjectives
Depression among the elderly is a significant public health concern in Uganda, where cultural, social, and healthcare-related barriers hinder access to treatment and support. This study examines the barriers to mental health service access faced by elderly service-users in Uganda.
Method
Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted to capture the lived experiences of elderly Baganda service users receiving treatment at Butabika National Referral and Teaching hospital.
Results
The findings reveal an intricate interaction between cultural, social, economic, and healthcare system-related barriers. Key barriers include limited mental health awareness, financial constraints, fragmentation, drug shortage and geographical access. Social and cultural stigma further exacerbate these challenges contributing to delayed or avoided help-seeking behaviours among the elderly.
Conclusion
The study highlights the intersectionality of aging and mental health issues, underscoring the urgent need for a comprehensive, integrated approach to mental health care for the elderly. This research calls for targeted interventions to reduce stigma, increase mental health literacy, and improve the accessibility and affordability of care for vulnerable elderly populations in Uganda. Such services can improve mental health outcomes and quality of life for the elderly in Uganda
Challenges and opportunities in scholarly writing for female academics at Kyambogo University in Uganda
No full text16-30 p.Research productivity remains a key indicator of academic success in higher education, yet female academics publish significantly fewer scholarly works than their male peers, despite holding advanced qualifications and having access to
government-supported research funding. This qualitative descriptive study investigated factors influencing research
productivity among 29 female academics at Kyambogo University between May 2023 and August 2024. Ethical
protocols were strictly followed, including informed consent, confidentiality, and anonymisation of participants’ identities.
This research uniquely applied an intersectionality-informed framework to demonstrate how personal challenges—such as time constraints, self-doubt, and limited research skills—interact with structural impediments including excessive
workloads, inadequate mentorship, insufficient research infrastructure, limited funding, and systemic gender biases to
undermine female academics involvement in scholarly writing findings reveal that while enablers—such as PhDs, research grants, co-supervision opportunities, journal access, and diverse fields—form a solid foundation for productivity, female academics continue to encounter systemic and personal barriers that inhibit full engagement. The study proposes strategic, intersectionality-based institutional interventions such as establishing a research support, Writing Centre, and creating communities of practice to address the barriers identified and leverages the intrinsic strengths of female academics. Together, these will improve female academics’ scholarly output and ultimately foster more inclusive and sustained academic growth
Fatty acid composition and cholesterol distribution in edible tissues of long-horned Ankole cattle
No full text9 p.Ankole cattle is a vital genetic resource and an economic asset in East and Central Africa, usually reared for their beef and milk. For the first time, the total lipid content, fatty acid composition and cholesterol concentration in beef of Ugandan long-horned Ankole cattle were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography. Significant variations in the total lipid content, fatty acid composition and cholesterol concentration were observed among the different samples, with the liver and kidneys possessing the highest values (P saturated fatty acids > polysaturated fatty acids. Nutritional indices indicated that the kidney, liver, and heart had better fatty acid compositions. In contrast, the rib, large intestine, and chuck had higher atherogenic and thrombogenic indices, which may be associated with increased risks of cardiovascular diseases when consumed