Scaling up the adoption of climate resilient housing among the rural households in Teso Sub-region

Abstract

In this era of climate change with its associated climate hazards such as floods, scaling up of climate-resilient housing (CRH) is crucial especially among the rural and urban poor who live in flood-vulnerable areas. This study estimated the prevalence of CRH in the Teso sub-region, described the main features of CRH, examined the factors that influence the adoption of climate-resilient housing in the Teso sub-region, and analyzed the incentives that should be put in place to motivate rural households to invest more in flood resilient housing and adaptation of buildings in Teso sub-region. In this survey, 304 households were randomly sampled and 866 houses analyzed. Interviews and focused discussions were conducted with key informants. Secondary data was obtained from the Uganda Red Cross Society. Only 43.3% (361/866) of the houses studied were climate-resilient and these houses were spread among only 48.4% (147/304) of the households. The majority of houses in the area were round one-roomed huts with walls made of unburnt bricks and roofs made out of thatch grass. These were reinforced for climate resilience by raising their floors and verandas, inserting dump-proof membrane in the foundation, and having a deeper foundation. Owning a CRH was significantly associated with the household head being educated. Respondents cited the occurrence of floods in the area and the role of NGOs playing as major motivators for the adoption of CRH. Climate-resilience housing in flood-prone areas was less than 50%. Most of the initiatives to enhance the capacity of communities to adopt climate-resilient housing has been championed by NGOs, especially, the Uganda Red Cross society. The need to adopt climate-resilient housing was mainly driven by the rampant floods that have ravaged the area.