Analysing the determinants and effectiveness of farmers adaptation strategies to rainfall variability in Kigorobya Subcounty, Hoima district

Abstract

Climate change characterized by rainfall variability is a major constraint to Uganda‟s agricultural sector. The threat can be reversed through adopting effective measures that aim at minimizing the impacts of rainfall variability. The goal of the study was to develop effective adaptation strategies to rainfall variability in Kigorobya sub-county. Specifically, the study sought to identify strategies used by farmers to adapt to rainfall variability, and their determinants of farmer‟s adaptation strategies, and their effectiveness towards minimizing the impacts of rainfall variability. A cross sectional research study was undertaken using a mixed approach where simple random sampling was employed in selection of the households for interviews and purposive sampling on the key informants. Data was collected through field surveys, interviews and direct field observations and then analyzed using thematic content analysis was descriptive statistics. The study findings revealed that the most adaptation strategies used by farmers in response to rainfall variability in the study area were mixed cropping (97.3%) followed by cover cropping (92.5%), and mulching (85%). The determinants of farmer's adaptation strategies were age, family size, level of education, income levels and tenure arrangements. Age and income levels were the most influential contributing 30% and 25% respectively. These influenced adoption of strategies like mixed cropping, cover cropping, mulching, small-scale irrigation, crop rotation among others. Mulching, planting of legumes and cover cropping were found to be the most adopted strategies. Based on normal approximations, the strategies for rainfall variability reduction were statistically significant with P-values of (0.000). The study observed approximate T^b for Pearson R (9.973) and Spearman rho correlation (8.283) values. This implied that continuous promotion of strategies adopted by local communities in the area would lead to a reduction on the impacts of rainfall variability. This indicates that continuous promotion of mulching mixed cropping; cover cropping and planting resistant varieties will reduce impacts of rainfall variability by 9.973. A reduction by 9.973 is, therefore, significant for strategies in the study area. The study therefore confirms that, mixed cropping, cover cropping, planting of resistant varieties, crop rotation; small-scale irrigation will reduce on the impacts of rainfall variability in the study area. Keywords: Rainfall variability, strategies, determinants, effectiveness