The government, with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands, has handed over 294 Certificates of Customary Ownership (CCOs) to smallholder farmers in Rubanda District, aiming to strengthen land tenure security and improve food security.
The certificates were presented at Muko Playground in Muko Sub-County by Her Excellency Frederieke Quispel, the Netherlands’ Ambassador to Uganda.
The handover is part of the five-year Agricultural Governance Results Improvement Project (A-GRIP), which began in 2023.
Funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands and implemented by Cordaid in partnership with Rubanda District, the project seeks to empower farmers through secure land rights.
Ambassador Quispel said the certificates will enable smallholder farmers to invest confidently in agriculture, access credit, and improve household incomes.
“By strengthening farmers with land tenure security, we can address food insecurity,” Quispel said.
Heleen Vander Beek emphasized the need for continued support for the land tenure system, including allocating an annual budget for land management institutions.
Rubanda Resident District Commissioner Eric Ssewandigi praised the Netherlands for supporting initiatives that have transformed communities.
He added that the issuance of CCOs will help curb land grabbing in the district.
“The issuing of certificates of customary ownership will solve the problem of land grabbing in Rubanda District,” Ssewandigi said.
