Abstract

This study examines the status of women in relationship to land ownership, the resources they are exposed to and management practices, consequently its effect on the environment of Manjiya County, Mbale District in (now Manafwa since 2008) Uganda. It was found out that low levels of education limit women’s abilities of creativity and innovativeness to work on the land sustainably. They lack access to land and family property making it difficult for them to hire casual labour, to make long term investment in land conservation, such as terracing the hillsides and other good farming practices on the hill slopes. This has resulted in high rate of land degradation as a result of soil erosion and landslides. There is need to empower women through education to enable them accept and use family planning practices to reduce the high fertility (7.1), adopt modern farming practices, as well as improving their opportunity to get formal employment.

Key word: Land tenure system, women’s access to household property, women’s resource base knowledge,  resource management