Abstract
Understanding the context and importance of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) by agro-pastoralists is important for building climate resilient social and ecological systems amidst the changing climate. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine the EbA to drought by the smallholder farmers in Nakasongola District where a total of 100 respondents were randomly selected and subjected to interviews. To supplement on this information, a land use/cover spatial dataset of 2016 for Uganda was obtained and analysed to characterise and quantify the distribution of ecosystems utilised by the agro-pastoralists in the District. The spatial results revealed that the grassland (1524.6sq.km) and agricultural (agroecosystem) (779.1sq.km) ecosystems were the largest ecosystems followed by the forest/woodland and freshwater ecosystems in terms of coverage. The farmers perceived severe droughts to occur between December to January for the last 30 years with an average of 4 years return period. The agro and grassland ecosystems were the main contributors of drought adaptation opportunities compared to the freshwater and forest/woodland ecosystems. The direct and indirect opportunities involved goods and services such as water provision, mulching materials, food provision, fuelwood, regulation of air quality and water flow. However, the major constraints to EbA included rampant deforestation, limited knowledge on ecosystem conservation and overgrazing. Thus increasing water supplies for domestic and agricultural production is more likely increase the farmer’s adaptation to drought.
Highlights
Drought and its characteristic extended period of moisture deficiency, greatly affects the smallholder agro-pastoral farmers, especially in the developing countries whose livelihood principally depends on the natural resources base coupled with minimum application of external farm inputs (Keil et al, 2008; Stringer et al, 2009; Fisher et al, 2015)
The study revealed that the agroecosystem was the most affected ecosystem by drought which is the main source of livelihood that enhanced their food security status
The negative impacts of drought were highly manifested in both crop and livestock production and threatened the agropastoralists food security
Summary
Drought and its characteristic extended period of moisture deficiency, greatly affects the smallholder agro-pastoral farmers, especially in the developing countries whose livelihood principally depends on the natural resources base coupled with minimum application of external farm inputs (Keil et al, 2008; Stringer et al, 2009; Fisher et al, 2015). In response to some of these effects, depending on the capacity and awareness, some farmers, have keenly applied various drought adaptation in-situ and ex-situ options such as planting drought-tolerant pasture and crop varieties, mulching, application of organic and inorganic fertilizers and construction of valley dams among others (Mwangi, 1996; Tin et al, 2001; Vaneeckhaute et al, 2013). These modest adaptation options have been deemed as good by the smallholder farmers. These are limited in terms of scope due to their in consideration of sustainable ecosystem resource management practices, conservation and restoration (Slegers & Stroosnijder, 2008; Huq et al, 2012)
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