Determinants of smallholder farmers' adaptation to climate change in Uganda

Abstract

This study examined determinants of smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change in Uganda, Specifically to determine social capital, human capital, and physical capital and market capital factors that affect adaptation to climate change as well as identifying adaptation strategies used by smallholder farmers in Uganda. A cross-sectional research design was used and a multi stage sampling was used to identify 4 sub-counties and 2 parishes from which a random sampling of 25 households from each parish, and a total of 200 households was used for analysis. In addition, qualitative data was collected from the district and sub counties agricultural officers to supplement data collected from households. Data was analysed using SPSS 16 and STATA 12. At Univariate level, descriptive statistics were used for all variables. At Bivariate level, the chi-square test reveals a significant relationship between gender, access to loans, access to weather information, membership to a cooperative and adaptation to climate change at 1% significance level. The t-test show a significant relationship between years of schooling, years using improved seed, household size and adaptation to climate change at 5 % and 1% significance level for land size. At Multivariate level, binary logit model was used to estimate the determinants of smallholder farmers; adaptation to climate. The results of the logistic regression estimation revealed that years of schooling, membership to a group/cooperative, access to loans, land size, and distance to market statistically and significantly affect adaptation to climate change at 1%, 5% and 10% significance level. The results reveal that shifting planting dates, conservation farming are the most common adaptation strategizes used by smallholder farmer. The results indicate that the policies and programs that increase access to loans should be given priority and government should increase investment in roads, education and women empowerment to deal with climate change.