Smallholder farmer's perceptions of climate change and adaptation practices in Kitgum district

Abstract

This study assessed smallholder farmers ' perceptions of climate change and adaptation practices in Kitgum District, Uganda. A cross-sectional survey design was deployed to examine smallholder farmers' perception and its impacts on climate change, adaptation practices, perceived effectiveness and actual effectiveness using cost benefit analysis of the adaptation practices. Data was collected using mixed methods. including, household survey, Focus Group Discussions (FGDS) and Key Informant Interviews (K II). Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Version 23), STA TA so ft ware and excel to generate inferential and descriptive statistics like frequencies, percent ages and chi-square tests, to establish relationship between variables and cost benefit analysis. These were presented in tables and graphs. Content analysis was used to generate themes emerging from the qualitative data. Results show that all smallholder farmers perceived climate change through rain fall and temperature. The most perceived climate change impacts were decrease in rain fall amount , shift in rain fall patterns, drought occurrence, increase in temperature and extreme heat stress. Results from multinomial logistic regression analysis show that only primary level of education was a positive predictor and significant (p-0.027) for decrease in rainfall amount. Descriptive statistics shows that most of the smallholder farmers are adapting to the perceived decrease in rainfall amount and increase in temperature. More so, several socio-economic characteristics are influencing adaptation practices with the most significant ones being age, education level, main agricultural activity and major source of income. Mixed farming and intercropping were considered effective adaptation practices. while mulching and irrigation not effective adaptation practices. For the cost benefit analysis (CBA). adaptation practices considered profitable were intercropping. early planting of groundnut and simsim and planting fast maturing maize crops. Those not profitable were mixed fanning, drought tolerant crops, early planting of maize and millet and fast maturing cassava crop. It is recommended that smallholder farmers should consider early planting in their overall adaptation practices since it was considered cost effective. However, this will require technical interventions by extension workers to ensure that adaptation responses are holistic and sustainable.