| dc.description.abstract | Sub-Saharan Africa ranks among the most vulnerable regions to climate change and variability. It has the largest proportion of food insecure people where 20% of people are undernourished. Agriculture is the major economic activity for Uganda employing more than 80% of the population, 69% of which practice subsistence agriculture as their main source of livelihood. Agriculture performance fluctuates with changes in weather conditions. This study explored the vulnerability of smallholder farmers and adaptation options to climate change. This study was carried out in Kanyabikere and Katanga villages Kamwenge districts with the objectives of i) to establish the impact of climate change on food security of small holder farming community and ii) To identify existing coping and adaptation measures of smallholder farmers to the impacts of climate change on food security. The data was collected using structured questionnaires. The results of the study indicated that all respondents were aware about climate change mainly through personal observations and mass media such as radios. All respondents reported droughts, crop pests especially fall armyworms and bean weevils, abnormality in seasons, increasing temperatures and generally decreased rainfall as major climate change shocks and stresses they experience. These resulted into crop damage, food scarcity, declined yields and water conflicts among others. Respondents practice a wide range of coping and adaptation options such as planting early maturing crop varieties, change in planting dates, and use of pesticides. The limitations to adaptation were; lack of relevant information, materials, and technology to use such as water pumps and limited skills. Respondents appeared to be highly exposed to climate change. Therefore this study concluded that Kanyabikere and Katanga like many other African farming communities are vulnerable to climate change and food insecurity. | en_US |
