Wandyaka, Richard2026-07-152026-07-152025-04Wandyaka, R. (2025). Assessing the effect of urban growth and land use/ cover change on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in jinja district, Uganda.Kyambogo University(Unpublished work).https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12504/3004xiv, 72 p.The increasing characteristically unplanned and unregulated urban expansion of Jinja district has highly resulted into conversion of land use/cover into built up areas (urban growth). This change of land use/covers such as farmlands, wetlands, forests, open water and many others into built-up areas is affecting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who depend on the small piece of arable land for crop/animal production. This study assessed the effect of urban growth on land use/cover change and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Jinja district. Specifically, the objectives were (i) to determine the extent and spatio- temporal pattern of urban growth and land use/cover changes in Jinja district between the period of 2002 and 2022; (ii) to determine the effects of urban growth on land use/cover change and smallholder farmer’s livelihoods in Jinja district and (iii) to assess the existing coping mechanisms of smallholder farmers to the effects of urban growth and land use/cover change in Jinja district. Remote sensing and GIS were used to determine the extent and Spatio temporal patterns of land use/cover change for the last 30 years (2002 -2022). Cross sectional research design was adopted to explore the effects of urban growth on land cover change and the livelihood of smallholder farmers and their coping mechanisms to the effects. A total of 276 respondents were surveyed, which included; Planner 1, Heads of department 10, Agriculture extension workers 15, these were purposively sampled. The Multiple income earners 118 and urban farmers 132 these were randomly sampled. The results show that built-up area (urban growth) has significantly increased by 10% for the period 2002-2012 and 20% for the period 2012-2022. Farmlands decreased by 3.6%, (i.e. from 27.2% in 2002 to 23.6% in 2022), woodlands significantly decreased from 13.9% in 2002, to 8.9% in 2012, and 2.9% in 2022. Results revealed that there several effects as result of urban growth like loss of vegetation, food shortage, pollution, loss of wetlands. Results revealed that smallholder farmers in Jinja district have adapted to a range of coping mechanisms like back yard farming, water harvesting, crop diversification as a way of responding to an experienced impact of urban growth to reduce the effects/ shocks and changes on their livelihood. The study recommended the ministry of Urban Development to set up policies to consider residents in cities to have skills and knowledge on other income generating activities besides farming which is greatly affected by urban growth and land use/cover change as a way to sustain their livelihoods.enLand useLand coverEnvironmental aspectsUrbanizationUgandaThesis