The Bunyoro sub-region has also witnessed an influx of new businesses and migrants from non-oil districts that have come in search for the promise of better economic opportunities. The in-migration of both persons and businesses within Bunyoro has possible impacts on biodiversity resulting from settlement, planting, harvesting of fibre from wetlands, hunting, fishing, fuel wood collection, charcoal burning and increased stock numbers. Around the Bugoma Forest, land has been largely transformed for subsistence agriculture, resulting in increased pressure on the scarce natural resources, and illegal settlements in the forest reserves.
The observed influx of businesses may be surpassed by the influx of the population evidenced by Bunyoro sub-region having the least proportion of employed population at 36 percent in 2019/20. This implies that, of all persons aged 14-64 years (working age population) in Bunyoro sub-region, only 36% were engaged in work for pay or profit and majority (63%) engaged in subsistence agriculture. Based on the 2014 Industrial Baseline Survey (IBS) performed by IOCs, the development of oil fields in the Lake Albert region was anticipated to generate thousands of direct jobs in Uganda and big opportunities for employment and supply of services in the region which seem yet to be actualized.
Suggested citation: Ocen .D.G, M Ogen, M Okello. 2023..
Demography, im(migration) and movement of labour:- Ecological Trends Alliance
