Living in the Ecosystem Frontier: Ecosystem boundaries, ecological distribution conflicts and discourse constructions in rural Northern Uganda

Abstract: Environmental degradation is often understood as linked to poverty and ignorance of ecosystem values. Taking point of departure in the theories of ecological economics and political ecology, this study seeks to offer an alternative explanation of the concurrence of environmental degradation and economic challenges. Through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews and group interviews, the study investigates the production-consumption patterns of farming, brickmaking, charcoal burning and fishing in Apac district, Northern Uganda. While brickmaking is aimed at local consumption, farming, charcoal burning and fishing are partly for external consumption indicating a net outflow of labour, materials and energy, eventually leading to social and environmental impoverishment. The study further shows that the environmental impacts, in the form of soil degradation, loss of ecosystem services, deforestation and depleted fish stocks, are only affecting producers and the rest of the community, and are thus unequally distributed among producers, consumer and other actors. The environmental impacts are, however, mostly discursively constructed as local challenges of poverty, ignorance and poor attitudes. The subsequent responses are predominantly aimed at producers focussing on sensitisation, regulation and promotion of ‘modern’ technologies to increase production. The study concludes that current responses cannot fully address the production-consumption patterns, and hence have limited impact on the net outflows of labour, materials and energy.