Long-Term Land Degradation, Poverty and Land Management Assessment — Project Overview

Project at a Glance

Client: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Duration: August 2024 – December 2024 (5 months)
Geographic Scope: National coverage across Uganda (81 districts)
Study Period: Longitudinal analysis covering 2003-2024 (21 years)
Research Focus: Trends in land degradation, poverty dynamics, and land management practices with emphasis on gender dimensions
Role: Sole consultant

The Challenge

IFPRI required comprehensive national data collection to analyze two decades of changes in land degradation patterns, poverty levels, and land management practices across Uganda. The study needed to:

  • Track long-term environmental and socio-economic changes at household and plot levels
  • Collect updated data from historical panel households (some not contacted since 2003)
  • Cover all 81 districts to ensure national representativeness
  • Incorporate gender-disaggregated analysis of land management decisions
  • Link current conditions to baseline data collected over 20 years prior
  • Document changes in agricultural practices, soil conservation methods, and land tenure patterns

Key Research Challenges:

  • Locating and re-interviewing households from 2003 baseline (21-year tracking gap)
  • Standardizing measurements across diverse agroecological zones
  • Collecting reliable land degradation indicators at scale
  • Ensuring consistency with historical survey protocols
  • Managing logistics across all districts within compressed timeline

Our Approach

Study Design & Preparation

HDS collaborated with IFPRI researchers to design a data collection strategy that would:

  • Re-establish contact with historical panel households where possible
  • Implement comparable measurement protocols to enable longitudinal analysis
  • Capture current land use patterns, degradation indicators, and management practices
  • Document poverty dynamics and livelihood changes since baseline
  • Collect gender-disaggregated data on land access, decision-making, and management

Questionnaire Development Process:

Working with IFPRI’s research team, HDS reviewed historical survey instruments to ensure comparability while updating modules to reflect current research priorities. The survey covered:

  • Household demographic changes and composition
  • Land holdings, tenure arrangements, and access patterns
  • Agricultural production practices and crop choices
  • Soil conservation and land management techniques
  • Poverty indicators and livelihood diversification
  • Gender roles in land management decisions
  • Perceptions of land degradation and environmental change

The survey instruments were carefully reviewed to:

  • Check for internal consistency
  • Ensure questions fit local contexts across Uganda’s diverse regions
  • Align with current land use realities
  • Enable comparison with historical baseline data

CAPI Development & Testing

HDS digitalized all survey instruments using SurveyCTO platform. The Data Development Consultant (Abdul Naafi Nsereko) programmed:

  • Complex skip patterns for multi-plot households
  • Validation rules to prevent data entry errors
  • GPS coordinate collection for all plots
  • Photographic documentation protocols for land conditions
  • Gender-specific modules with appropriate routing
  • Consistency checks between household and plot-level data

The CAPI system was tested extensively to ensure:

  • Functionality across all survey modules
  • Proper data flow and storage
  • Offline capability for areas with limited connectivity
  • User-friendly interface for enumerators

IFPRI researchers received access credentials to review and test the digital instruments before finalization.

Team Mobilization & Training

Given the national scope covering all 81 districts, HDS assembled a substantial field operation:

Team Structure:

  • Project Manager: Overall coordination, IFPRI liaison, quality oversight (George Sentumbwe)
  • Field Supervisors: Regional coordination, daily quality checks, logistics management
  • Data Manager: CAPI system management, real-time data validation (Abdul Naafi Nsereko)
  • Enumerators: District-specific deployment with local language capabilities
  • Logistics Coordinators: Vehicle management, accommodation, stakeholder liaison

Enumerator Selection Criteria:

  • Minimum bachelor’s degree qualification
  • Prior experience in agricultural or household surveys
  • Fluency in local languages of assigned districts
  • Proven integrity and reliability
  • Preference for enumerators from HDS’s experienced pool

The recruitment process included screening interviews and reference checks. Candidates with previous HDS experience were prioritized to ensure quality standards.

Training Program:

HDS conducted rigorous face-to-face training covering:

Days 1-3: Questionnaire Review

  • Detailed module-by-module review using hard copy versions
  • Discussion of question intent and proper interpretation
  • Clarification of complex concepts (land degradation indicators, tenure arrangements)
  • Role-play exercises with enumerators assuming respondent and interviewer roles

Days 4-6: CAPI Training

  • Hands-on practice with SurveyCTO on tablets
  • Navigation through survey logic and skip patterns
  • GPS coordinate collection procedures
  • Photographic documentation standards
  • Offline data storage and synchronization protocols

Days 7-8: Field Skills & Ethics

  • Interview techniques and probing methods
  • Respondent consent procedures
  • Data confidentiality and ethical research practices
  • Cultural sensitivity and appropriate field behavior
  • Problem-solving for difficult interview situations

Day 9: Supervisor-Specific Training

  • Quality assurance protocols and checklists
  • Daily data review procedures
  • Team management and conflict resolution
  • Budget management and financial accountability
  • Communication protocols with Project Manager

IFPRI researchers participated in training sessions (in-person or virtually) to introduce the study’s purpose and answer technical questions about research objectives.

Pre-testing & Instrument Refinement

HDS conducted field pre-testing outside the actual survey areas but within similar agroecological contexts. The pilot phase served to:

  • Test questionnaire clarity and flow in real-world settings
  • Assess time required for complete household interviews
  • Validate GPS and photo documentation procedures
  • Identify problematic questions or confusing wording
  • Train enumerators in actual interview conditions
  • Allow supervisors to assess enumerator performance

Pre-test Duration: 3 days

  • Travel to pre-test sites
  • Field interviews with sample households
  • Daily debrief sessions to discuss challenges
  • Return travel

During pre-testing, supervisors and the Project Manager:

  • Observed each enumerator conducting interviews
  • Identified areas requiring additional training
  • Documented questions that confused respondents
  • Tested CAPI functionality under field conditions

Pre-test data was used to check for:

  • Missing fields in the CAPI
  • Logic errors or inappropriate skip patterns
  • Data quality issues requiring protocol adjustments

All identified issues were addressed through:

  • CAPI revisions by the Data Manager
  • Additional targeted training for enumerators
  • Questionnaire clarifications shared with IFPRI for approval

Revised questionnaires were finalized before actual survey deployment. Final CAPI versions were shared with IFPRI for review.

Field Data Collection

National Deployment Strategy:

Given the 81-district coverage requirement, HDS organized data collection in coordinated phases:

  • Teams assigned to specific districts or district clusters
  • Systematic coverage ensuring all regions represented
  • Coordination with district agricultural officers for local support
  • Advance notification to local authorities for community acceptance

Daily Field Operations:

Field supervisors managed:

  • Daily team planning and household assignments
  • Transportation logistics and fuel management
  • Accommodation arrangements for field teams
  • Communication with local authorities and community leaders
  • Resolution of field challenges (household availability, access issues)

Enumerators were expected to:

  • Complete assigned household interviews with thoroughness
  • Collect GPS coordinates for all household plots
  • Take photographic documentation where appropriate
  • Record detailed field notes on unusual situations
  • Upload completed surveys daily when connectivity available

Tracking Historical Panel Households:

For households from the 2003 baseline, HDS employed creative tracking methods:

  • Consultation with village leaders and local authorities
  • Contact with relatives and neighbors who remained in area
  • Follow-up in new locations when households had migrated within Uganda
  • Documentation of attrition reasons when households could not be located

This approach built on HDS’s demonstrated tracking expertise from previous longitudinal studies (4% attrition rate on IFPRI COVID-19 follow-up after 3-year gap).

Quality Assurance Protocols

Daily Data Review:

  • All completed surveys uploaded to secure server each evening (when connectivity available)
  • Data Manager ran automated validation checks overnight
  • Error reports generated and distributed to supervisors by morning
  • Enumerators addressed flagged issues before proceeding to new interviews

Supervisor Oversight:

  • Standardized quality checklist for reviewing completed questionnaires
  • Verification of data completeness before submission
  • Spot-checks of GPS coordinates and photo documentation
  • Random observation of enumerator interviews

Project Manager Monitoring:

  • Random field visits to observe teams across regions
  • Review of supervisor reports and data quality metrics
  • Direct observation of interview protocols
  • Verification that training standards maintained in field

Back-Check Procedures:

  • Random selection of completed households for re-contact
  • Verification of key responses and data accuracy
  • Documentation of any discrepancies for investigation
  • Feedback to enumerators on quality issues

Data Security:

  • Encrypted transmission via SurveyCTO platform
  • Daily backups to multiple locations
  • No sensitive data stored locally on tablets after upload
  • Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel

Data Processing & Cleaning

Following field completion, HDS conducted systematic data cleaning:

Data Validation Steps:

  • Structural integrity checks of submitted data
  • Investigation of outliers and unusual responses
  • Resolution of inconsistencies through supervisor consultation
  • Cross-verification of GPS coordinates with district boundaries
  • Review of photographic documentation for quality

Dataset Preparation:

  • Standardized variable naming conventions
  • Consistent labeling across all variables
  • Calculation of derived variables for analysis
  • Integration of GPS data with household records
  • Organization of photographic documentation

Quality Outputs:

  • Raw dataset preserving original responses
  • Cleaned dataset with documented modifications
  • Comprehensive data dictionary
  • Codebook explaining all variables and transformations
  • Documentation of cleaning decisions and rationale

Deliverables

HDS provided IFPRI with comprehensive data products:

Primary Deliverables:

  • Raw dataset (Stata, Excel, CSV formats)
  • Cleaned and processed dataset with full documentation
  • Data dictionary and codebook
  • GPS coordinate files for all surveyed plots
  • Photographic documentation archive
  • Technical field report detailing methodology, challenges, and observations
  • Financial reports documenting project expenditures

Technical Report Contents:

  • Survey implementation methodology
  • Sampling and coverage achieved
  • Data collection challenges and solutions
  • Quality assurance procedures applied
  • Attrition analysis for panel households
  • Field observations on land use changes
  • Recommendations for future survey waves

All deliverables were submitted to IFPRI within agreed timelines.

Implementation Strengths

National Coverage Capability

HDS’s ability to deploy across all 81 districts demonstrated:

  • Extensive network of experienced enumerators throughout Uganda
  • Established relationships with district authorities
  • Understanding of diverse agroecological and cultural contexts
  • Logistical capacity for simultaneous multi-district operations

Longitudinal Study Expertise

The project leveraged HDS’s proven capability in panel household tracking:

  • Experience from USAID 4-year longitudinal study (2,400 households, 4% attrition)
  • IFPRI COVID-19 follow-up (96% re-contact after 3-year gap)
  • JICA rice studies (multiple survey waves with high retention)
  • Tsukuba land formalization RCT (pilot through endline tracking)

Agricultural Survey Specialization

HDS brought deep experience in agricultural data collection:

  • Understanding of land tenure complexities in Uganda
  • Expertise in GPS plot measurement from multiple rice and maize studies
  • Familiarity with soil conservation and land management practices
  • Experience with gender-disaggregated agricultural data collection

Data Quality Systems

The firm’s established quality assurance framework ensured:

  • Real-time error detection and correction
  • Consistent application of protocols across districts
  • Supervisor accountability for team performance
  • Multiple verification layers preventing systematic errors

Project Significance

This comprehensive dataset provides IFPRI with:

  • 21-year longitudinal perspective on land degradation trajectories
  • National-level evidence on poverty and environmental linkages
  • Gender-specific insights on land management patterns
  • Evidence base for climate adaptation and land restoration policies
  • Baseline for future monitoring of environmental and poverty trends

The scale and longitudinal nature of the study make it one of the most comprehensive assessments of land degradation and poverty dynamics in East Africa.

Project Team

HDS Core Team:

  • George Sentumbwe — Project Manager, IFPRI Liaison
  • Abdul Naafi Nsereko — Data Development Consultant/Programmer
  • Jennifer Alinaitwe — Field Supervisor
  • Denis Tishekwa — Field Supervisor
  • Musa Badru — Technical Assistant
  • Multiple additional supervisors for national coverage
  • Large enumeration team deployed across 81 districts

Related HDS Environmental & Agricultural Projects

This study built on HDS’s established expertise in environmental and agricultural research:

Agricultural Production Systems:

  • JICA Rice Production Studies (2017, 2024-2025)
  • IFPRI IPM Technology Adoption (2023, 2025)
  • University of Sydney Doho Rice Scheme (2021-2022)

Longitudinal Household Tracking:

  • USAID Agricultural Inputs Study (2013-2016, 2,400 households)
  • IFPRI COVID-19 Resilience Study (2020-2022, refugee settlements)
  • Tsukuba Land Formalization RCT (2022-2024, pilot through endline)

Land and Environment:

  • Tsukuba Land Rental Formalization Study (refugee camp settings)
  • Multiple agricultural surveys incorporating soil and land management data

Contact

Homeland Data Services Ltd
Plot 1688, Kiwatule Along Kaduyu Road
Nakawa-Kampala, Uganda

Project Manager: George Sentumbwe
📧 sentumbwe@hds-survey.com
📞 +256 779 838 104

IFPRI Reference Contact:
Dr. Claudia Ringler
📧 c.ringler@cgiar.org
ORCID: 0000-0002-8266-048