Determinants of finger millet farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies to climate change in northern Uganda

Weather variability has had great negative impacts on crop production in rain-fed agricultural systems that dominate sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, farmers usually undertake several climate change adaptation strategies to cope. This study assessed climate change adaptation strategies developed by finger millet farmers and the determinants to their choice of adaptation strategies in Kitgum District. This was achieved through a cross-sectional study involving 370 randomly selected smallholder farmers from Kitgum district. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, focus group discussions as well as key informant interviews. Collected data was analyzed using thematic analysis in the case of qualitative data and multivariate regression analysis in the case of quantitative data. Results showed that majority of finger millet farmers perceived weather variability in terms of decreased rainfall levels, prolonged dry spells, and unpredictable precipitations within the last twenty years. The visible effects include low yields of finger millet, poor seed germination, general millet failure causing low production, and increased food insecurity. The most common adaptation strategies were planting different types of crops to cater for failed crops, planting millet early to take care of the shortened length of the rainy season, and farmers adopting drought-resistant varieties of finger millet. Choice of these climate adaptation options depended on gender of household heads, age, size of land owned, education levels, belonging to a farmer group, and access extension service. The findings of this study imply that more effort is to improve the dissemination of weather-related information, provide training on climate-smart agriculture, and boost adaptation planning at the grassroots to empower millet farmers in the effort to increase millet production while practicing appropriate adaptation strategies to the effect of weather variability.