2026/01/12 by Eria Serwajja, Muhamed Lunyago · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Social Sciences · #African studies and sociopolitical issues #Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development #Land Rights and Reforms
paper · pdf · doi:10.1177/00020397251408086
openalex publication_date 2026/01/12 · openalex created_date 2026/01/14 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
This study examines how the re-emerging “informal” land demarcation systems contribute to the de-escalation of land conflicts and promotion of peace in post-war Northern Uganda. Although relative peace and normalcy have returned to Northern Uganda following the LRA war, the Acholi subregion continues to grapple with land conflicts, which have complicated the resettlement and development of rural communities. However, rural communities, which bear the heaviest brunt of land conflicts, are not merely spectators. This paper explores and theorises the ways in which communities mobilise a rich repertoire of “everyday resources” to counter and address the contestations over land. The initiatives “from below” include boundary-tree planting, engraving names of landowners on trees, and digging holes around the contested land as boundary demarcations and “identity” markers. By emphasising harmonious post-conflict co-existence, these initiatives contribute to a reduction in land conflicts and foster peacebuilding.