Abstract

Circular labor migration has been inconclusively debated to result into a win to migrants, their place of origin and families as well. However, empirical evidence has resulted in a very contradicting conclusion. Moreover, the specific wins in wide spectrum of life have neither been unveiled nor tested. This study intends to assess the implications of circular labor migration on food security in Lake Victoria Basin. A total of 512 households randomly sampled from the two wards were used. Methods of data collection were household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interview. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS. Techniques of data analysis including chi-square, independent sample t-tests and paired sample T-Tests were used in the analysis. Results indicated that food security status varied across localities with a worsening situation in Kakukuru than in Nyakabango. Households’ involvement in circular labor migration improves food security status of the household. Food security status improved as the number of circular labor migrants increased but it had a declining trend beyond 2 and 4 for both HDDS and HFIAS measure. Based on the findings, the study recommends that, circular labor migrants should be encouraged to invest their return from circular labor migration in improving household food security; households should control the number of household members involved in circular labor migration if the current work environment continues to exist. Researchers should consider the contextual and locational differences when looking into food security.

Key words: Circular labor migration, Lake Victoria Basin, food security, Ukerewe, Muleba.