Predictors of landlords’ willingness to offer land for refugee settlement and use in Dziapi Sub-County, Adjumani District, Uganda

Abstract

Access to land is central to refugee settlement, livelihood security, self-reliance, and local integration. In refugee-hosting areas, however, land allocation depends not only on national refugee policy or humanitarian need but also on the willingness of local landlords and customary landholders to make land available. This study examined predictors of landlords’ willingness to offer land for refugee settlement and use in Dziapi Sub-County, Adjumani District, Uganda. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected from 160 landlords around Nyumanzi refugee settlement through structured interviews, while qualitative data were collected through in-depth and key informant interviews with selected landlords, land chiefs, and officials involved in land negotiations. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 25, and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Only 30% of landlords were willing to offer land. Willingness was lower among landlords who perceived refugees as disrespectful, believed refugees should not receive more land, lacked authority to offer land without secondary or third-party approval, associated land offers with monetary-benefit expectations, and reported inadequate government sensitisation. Thestudy concludes that willingness to offer land is shaped by refugee–host relations, customary land governance, decision-making authority, perceived fairness, benefit expectations, and institutional communication.