Assessment of ecosystem based adaptation practices among crop farming communities in Rukiga district

Abstract

Climate change pose a significant risk to crop cultivating communities since they depend on rainfall for the growth of their crops. This makes Rukiga district to remain highly susceptible to food insecurity due to uncertainties in weather events. This has deteriorated the health and diet of the people in the district and increased levels of poverty. Therefore, the aim of the study was generate more information on EbA practices that are useful in improving the adaptive capacity of the crop farming communities in Rukiga district. Kashambya sub-county in Rukiga district, which is found in the southwestern part of Uganda, is experiencing climate change, which is manifested by the occurrences of several drought, and heavy rains that washed away all the crops and destroyed the infrastructures in 2021. The study was conducted in the two parishes of Bucundura and Rutengye. The small crop farmers in those parishes are subsistence farmers and depend on rainfall for the growth of their crops. A house hold survey was carried out among the 100 crop farmers within the villages of Bweyo, Katagata, Rwakinyonyozi and Kantambala in Kashambya Sub County to obtain information on various EbA practices among the crop farming communities in Rukiga district. While interview guides were used to obtain information from the key informants to establish whether there was a linkage between community practices and government led interventions among crop farming communities in Rukiga district. Simple random sampling was used to select households from study population. The data obtained from crop farmers was analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics while qualitative data from the key informants was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study explored that 23 EbA practices were practiced by crop farmers in Rukiga district. Among the twenty-three EbA practices that were identified, the study established that 99 of the crop farmers practiced intercropping as an adaptation practice in a way to avert crop failure due to drought and flash rains. Irrigation and live fencing were the least practiced EbA practices in Bucundura and Rutenje parishes taking only 0.2% and 0.2% respectively of the crop farmers. The study revealed that, the most practiced EbA practices in Rukiga district in the anticipation of drought and flash rains were intercropping, growing of fast maturing crops, mulching, terracing, bean staking and use of organic manure. Therefore, the study recommends that there should be sensitization of crop farmers in Rukiga district by the District Agricultural Officer and District Environmental Officer to ensure increased awareness about some of the EbA practices for example home gardens, irrigation and the use of trenches.