The effect of Population Growth on Food Security situation among Refugees in Nakivale refugee settlement, Isingiro District

Abstract

The study was about the effect of population growth on food security situation among the Refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Isingiro District. The study objectives were; to determine the main population changes taking placein Nakivale Refugee Settlement, and also to establish the effects of age composition on food availability among the Refugees. The researcher used a cross sectional research design. The study used a sample size of 133 respondents. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis while quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS. Basing on the field findings, there was a significant relationship between Population Growth and Food Security situation among the Refugees of Nakivale Refugee Settlement. This was due to the fact that when the population fertility and refugee influx is high, food becomes insufficient to the refugees and when the mortality is highly, the population reduces as most of the people become sick and weak and food is highly consumed by the weak people. Based on the age composition, it was evident that working age bracket increases food security the fact that most households involved in work and their consumption rate is reserved compared to the younger population who are dependants as well as existing mothers who produce more young kids. The researcher recommends that the government and NGOs institute more technical personnel in the camp to help refugees by training them on better farming skills, helping them to create employment. It is also recommended that the refugees need to be trained with income generating activities both entrepreneurial and life skills. Further recommendation to the government and NGOs is that there should be addition of various food types that refugees prefer to eat, also, differentseedlings should be given to refugees for them to grow more crops and improve on yielding. NGOs should intervene towards empowering mothers specifically those who have children below 12 years.