Analysis of the climate change adaptation practices in the coffee-banana system in Lwengo district

Abstract

This study examined climate change adaptation practices in the coffee-banana farming system in Lwengo district of Uganda. The study aimed at determining the impacts of climate change shocks in the coffee-banana system, assessing the drivers of smallholder coffee-banana climate change adaptation practices employed by smallholder coffee-banana farmers in Lwengo district, and establishing the effectiveness of the adaptation practices in making the coffee- banana farming system and farmers climate resilient. A cross-sectional study design involving qualitative and quantitative approaches was deployed, and data was collected using a questionnaire from 136 randomly selected smallholder households. In addition, ten (10) key informant interviews and four (4) Focus Group Discussions were conducted to obtain qualitative data. Majority of the responses (94%) perceived droughts with no significant association as the main climatic shock facing the banana coffee farming system. 66% of the responses perceived late rainfall onset with a significant association to age X 2 (n=136, df=2) = 6.846, P-value = 0.03 and monthly income X 2 (n=136, df=3) =8.776, P-value= 0.01. Early rainfall cessation (56%) was also reported as one of the climate change shocks in the area and this perception differed significantly across household size with X 2 (n=136, df = 2) = 6.1, P- value = 0.05. The perceived effects of climate change impacts across farm households were reported as crop failure at the flowering and filling stages for especially coffee coupled with reduced soil fertility, water shortage and prevalence of crop pests and diseases. The main adaptation responses to climate shocks were growing of drought resistant crop species – hybrid ‘’Fhia’’ banana, use of retention trenches and application of fertilizers which greatly varied across socio-economic characteristics with the most significant socio-demographic characteristics. For example, farmers whose farming experience was above 20 years were less likely to plant drought resistant crops (β,-3.6, P = 0.016) but were rather more likely to use retention trenches (β, 2.78, P= 0.007) and fertilizers (β, 2.32, P= 0.033). Further, farmers aged 30 years and above were less likely to use fertilizers (β, -1.67, P= 0.02) while those aged 65 years and above were less likely to harvest water (β, -3.6, P= 0.017). Farmers whose land for crop cultivation was insufficient, were less likely to use mulching (β, -1.16, P= 0.022). The effectiveness of these adaptation practices varied greatly across climate shocks and farm households’ productivity. The application of fertilizers was perceived to be highly effective against early rainfall onset (30%), water harvesting and retention renches were highly effective against too much rainfall and flood (67%). Growing of drought resistant crop varieties was highly effective against droughts (56%). Results from a binary logistic regression suggest that farmers aged 60 years and above were less likely to adapt to early rainfall cessation than those aged below 60 years (β, -3.77, P = 0.04). In addition, farmers with a household size of seven (7) people and above were more likely to adapt to late rainfall onset (β, 0.42, P = 0.039). The study recommends further studies focusing on investigating the barriers to effective adaptation amongst the coffee-banana smallholder farmers in Lwengo district and investigating their spatial vulnerabilities to the current and projected climate shocks. The study also recommends that Lwengo district local government should encourage effective locational specific practices such as drought resistant crops, retention trenches and application of fertilizers that support small-holder farmers to build their resilience to climate change.