Background <p>Secure land tenure is critical to achieving food security and sustainable development. In Uganda, overlapping land tenure systems, customary, leasehold, freehold, and <i>mailo</i>, interact with socio-cultural and institutional factors to shape land access and use. However, tenure insecurity persists, undermining agricultural productivity and household food resilience, especially in rural communities. The present study aimed to explore the determinants of secure land tenure and identify barriers to food security in three Ugandan districts: Mbale, Bukedea, and Luwero.</p> Methods <p>A qualitative study was conducted using a purposive sampling method. Key informant interviews (KIIs) were held with farmers, local leaders, land officers, and development agents. Data were collected using semi-structured guides, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using ATLAS.ti v.24 software.</p> Results <p>Multiple interlinked themes emerged. Inheritance disputes, informal land documentation, and clan-based land allocation significantly undermine tenure security. Leasehold arrangements and the high cost and complexity of land titling constrain long-term investment. Barriers to food security included land scarcity, soil degradation, climate variability, land conflicts, and exploitative market systems. Gender and generational inequalities further limited access to land and agricultural inputs. These barriers disrupt food production, limit resilience, and deepen rural vulnerability.</p> Conclusion <p>Food insecurity in rural Uganda is shaped by structural, environmental, and socio-economic challenges, including land fragmentation in Mbale, recurrent climate shocks in Bukedea, and land commodification in Luwero. Strengthening food system resilience requires systematic land registration, community-based dispute resolution, and integration of customary practices.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>