Climate Change and Potential of Agroforestry in Uganda: Youth Perceptions and Willingness to Participate in Adaptation and Transition Efforts

Climate change remains a pressing global issue, affecting sectors including agriculture and forest resources, in countries such as Uganda. This research focused on exploring the viewpoints of youth in Uganda concerning adapting to climate change, and their interest in becoming involved in agroforestry transition, by conducting a survey involving 1138 participants from the youth demographic group aiming to gather information about their level of hopefulness towards climate adaptation efforts and how they perceive the impact of farming practices and deforestation. Furthermore, the study aimed to evaluate youth willingness to participate in agroforestry (WTPA) initiatives. The study used descriptive statistics as well as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) to analyze the collected data. We found that most participants are hopeful about adapting to climate change (89%). This positive and highly significant outlook is closely related to their willingness to participate in agroforestry adaptation efforts (0.000). Moreover, a high percentage of participants (92%) acknowledged how farming practices, such as cultivation and livestock rearing, could degrade land significantly. Whereas Gender, Age and Employment were found to be highly and positively significant regarding youth’s WTPA (0.000), income was not. Other determinants, such as saving nature, soil conservation, water regulation and protection, financial/income, forest-related foods and fruits, and firewood, influenced youth willingness to participate in agroforestry activities. Incorporating indigenous practices and encouraging meaningful involvement from policymakers can empower youth and strengthen community-led initiatives to address environmental decline effectively. This research highlights the capacity of youth engagement in steering successful climate resilience measures via agroforestry practices in Uganda.