Email this article 
Hide
Show all
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS' PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION TO RAINFALL VARIABILITY IN MT. ELGON REGION, EASTERN UGANDA
Abstract
Rainfall is one of the most critical climatic factors for smallholder farmers in Uganda whose farming activities are dominantly rain-fed. However, changes in rainfall patterns are threatening these smallholder farmers' livelihoods. This study was conducted to appraise the farmers' perceptions about the changes in rainfall patterns and their effects on agricultural production and livelihoods in Bududa and Manafwa districts, Uganda. A descriptive study involving focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews was conducted to determine farmers' perceptions about the nature, effects and adaptation to changes in rainfall patterns. Results indicate that majority (98%) of the farmers had noticed changes in rainfall patterns. The seasons were reportedly becoming shorter due to late onset and early cessation of rains The amount of rain was also considered more than normal and was concentrated in a short period at the beginning or end of the season. Farmers' perceptions about amount of rainfall closely matched meteorological data. Results further show that farmers perceive that the shocks associated with changes in rainfall patterns result into reduced crop and livestock production as well depleting the livelihood assets on which they depend. Farmers do not perceive any opportunities presented by rainfall variability. Farmer households undertake different adaptation interventions individually and yet the covariate nature of the rainfall induced shocks and steep terrain in the area require these to be done collectively at landscape level for them to be effective. Therefore, more strategic and landscape level adaptation interventions that take into account farmers' knowledge and experiences are necessary.
Keywords
References
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa [AGRA]. (2014). Africa agriculture status report 2014: climate change and smallholder agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nairobi, Kenya.
Barihaihi, M. (2010). Country Level Literature Review. Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance [ACCRA], Kampala, Uganda.
Bomuhangi, A., Nabanoga, G., Namaalwa, J. J., Jacobson, M. M., & Abwoli, B. (2016). Local communities’ perceptions of climate variability in the Mt. Elgon region, eastern Uganda. Cogent Environmental Science (2016),2.
Bryan, E., Deressa, T. T., Gbetibouo, G. A., & Ringler, C. (2009). Adaptation to climate change in Ethiopia and South Africa: options and constraints. Environmental Science & Policy, 12(4),413–426.
Caffrey, P., Finan,T., Trzaska,S., Miller,D., Laker-Ojok, R., & Houston, S. (2013). Uganda climate change vulnerability assessment report. USAID African and Latin American Resilience to Climate Change (ARCC) August, 2013.
Cooper, P.J.M., J. Dimes., K.P.C. Rao., B. Shapiro., B. Shiferaw & S. Twomlow. (2008). Coping better with current climatic variability in the rain-fed farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa: An essential first step in adapting to future climate change? Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 126, 24–35.
Deressa, T. T., Hassan, R. M., & Ringler, C. (2010). Perception of and adaptation to climate change by farmers in the Nile basin of Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Science, 149, 23–31.
EM-DAT. (2014). The OFDA/CRED Int. disaster database. Brussel: Universite Catholique de Louvain.
Field A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS. Third Edition. Sage Publications, 55 City Road, London, United Kingdom.
Food and Agriculture organization [FAO]. (2014). Adapting to climate change through land and water management. Results of pilot projects in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. FAO, Rome, Italy.
Gbetibouo, G. A. (2009). Understanding Farmers' Perceptions and Adaptations to Climate Change and Variability: The Case of the Limpopo Basin, South Africa. IFPRI Discussion Paper 00849 February 2009.
Hepworth, N. D. (2010). Climate change vulnerability and adaptation preparedness in Uganda. Heinrich Böll Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya.
Jiang, B., Bamutaze, Y., & Pilesjö, P. (2014). Climate change and land degradation in Africa: a case study in the Mount Elgon region, Uganda. Geo-spatial Information Science, 17(1), 39-53.
Kaggwa, R., Hogan, R., & Hall, B. (2009). Enhancing the Contribution of Weather, Climate and Climate Change to Growth, Employment and Prosperity. UNDP/NEMA/UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative, Kampala Uganda.
Kansiime, M. K., Wambugu, S. K., & Shisanya, C. A. (2013). Perceived and Actual Rainfall Trends & Variability in Eastern Uganda: Implications for Community Preparedness and Response. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 3(8), 179-195.
Kato, E., Ringler, C., Yesuf, M., & Bryan, E. (2011). Soil and water conservation technologies: A buffer against production risk in the face of climate change? Insights from the Nile basin in Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics, 42 (2011), 593–604.
Krejcie, R. V., & D.W. Morgan. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and psychological measurement, 30, 607-610.
Maddison, D. (2007). The perception of and adaptation to climate change in Africa. Policy Research Working Paper 4308, The World Bank, Development Research Group, Sustainable Rural and Urban Development Team.
Mbogga, M. S. (2012). Climate profiles and climate change vulnerability assessment for the Mbale region of Uganda. UNDP Consultancy report. Kampala, Uganda.
Ministry Of Water and Environment [MWE]. (2007). Climate Change: Uganda National Adaptation Programmes of Action. Kampala, Uganda.
Mubiru, D. N., Komutunga, E., Agona, A., Apok, A., & Ngara, T. (2012). Characterizing agrometeorological climate risks and uncertainties: Crop production in Uganda. South African Journal of Science.
Mugagga, F., Kakembo, V., & Buyinza, M. (2012). Land use changes on the slopes of Mount Elgon and the implications for the occurrence of landslides. Catena, 90,39–46.
Nandozi, C. S., Majaliwa, J. G. M., Omondi, P., Komutunga, E., Aribo, L., Isubikalu, P., Tenywa, M. M., & Massa-Makuma, H. (2012). Regional climate model performance and prediction of seasonal rainfall and surface temperature of Uganda. African Crop Science Journal, 20 (s2), 213-225.
Osbahr, H., Dorward, P., Stern, R., & Cooper, S. (2011). Supporting agricultural innovation in Uganda to respond to climate risk: Linking climate Change and variability with farmer perceptions. Expl Agric, 47 (2), 293–316.
Rwenzori Think Tank. (2011). Small holder farmers’ knowledge and adaptation to climate change in the Rwenzori region. Research report No. 001, March 2011.
Simelton, E., Quinn, C. H., Antwi-Agyei, P., Batisani, N., Dougill. A. J., Dyer, J., ... Stringer, L. C. (2011). African farmers’ perceptions of erratic rainfall Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy Working Paper No. 73, Sustainability Research Institute Paper No. 27. October 2011.
Stern, R. D., & Cooper, P. J. M. (2011). Assessing climate risk and climate change using rainfall data: A case study from Zambia. Experimental Agriculture, (47),241–266.
Uganda Bureau of Statistics [UBOS]. (2010). Uganda census of agriculture 2008/2009. Volume III: Agricultural household and holding characteristics report, December 2010, Kampala, Uganda
Uganda Bureau of Statistics [UBOS]. (2015). 2015 Statistical Abstract. October 2015, Kampala, Uganda.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2018 Narisi Mubangizi, Florence B. Kyazze, Paul I Mukwaya
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
