CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN UGANDA: RAKAI AND KAPCHORWA DISTRICTS

The report examines the vulnerability of crop production in Uganda's Rakai and Kapchorwa districts, finding that increasing climate variability—specifically more frequent droughts and intense floods—threatens food security and livelihoods. While crop modelling suggests limited long-term yield declines for maize and beans by 2050, current climate hazards already disrupt farming calendars and reduce coffee quality. The study highlights that high poverty, land tenure issues, and HIV/AIDS exacerbate vulnerability, often leading to maladaptive coping strategies like wetland encroachment. It recommends a holistic approach combining small-scale irrigation, conservation agriculture, stress-resistant crop varieties, and improved meteorological information systems, supported by stronger national governance and coordination.

• Uganda is experiencing a rise in temperature and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Temperatures have risen by 0.37° C per decade since 1960, and while long-term rainfall trends are unclear, floods and landslides are increasing.
• Climate hazards significantly impact crop production in Rakai and Kapchorwa, leading to total crop failure for maize and beans, and reduced quality and quantity for coffee. Farmers report that they can no longer follow traditional farming calendars due to erratic seasons and irregular rainfall distribution.
• In Kapchorwa, farmers have observed the emergence of 'fly crops'—coffee flowering outside the normal cycle—which they associate with temperature and rainfall changes. These fly crops produce smaller beans and lower yields, reducing the crop's value.
• Crop modelling using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) predicts that by 2050, maize production in Sanzara (Kapchorwa) may decrease by 8 to 10 percent and bean production by around 6 percent, whereas impacts in Rakai are expected to be negligible.
• Investment in water management, specifically irrigation, is identified as a primary method to offset climate change impacts. Modelling indicates that irrigation could increase maize and bean production in Rakai and bean production in Kapchorwa beyond current levels by 2050.
• Smallholder farmers employ various coping strategies, but some are maladaptive and increase long-term vulnerability. Examples include encroaching on wetlands to plant quick-maturing crops during droughts and illegal deforestation for charcoal and firewood sales.
• Socio-economic factors significantly amplify climate vulnerability. In Rakai, high HIV/AIDS prevalence (12 percent, nearly double the national average) reduces available agricultural labour and limits the capacity of households to invest in adaptive technologies.
• Uganda possesses a framework of policies and institutions for climate risk management, including the Climate Change Unit (CCU) and the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), but these suffer from limited financial and human capacity and poor coordination.
• There is a critical gap in the availability and dissemination of climate data. Many meteorological stations are non-functional, and national weather information is often provided in English, making it inaccessible to local farmers who rely on eroding indigenous knowledge.

APA

Dekens, J., Dion, J., Kutegeka, S., Nyombi, K., Nakangu, B., Bagyenda, R., Mbosa, M., & McCandless, M. (2013). CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN UGANDA: RAKAI AND KAPCHORWA DISTRICTS. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_uganda.pdf

Chicago

Dekens, Julie, Jason Dion, Sophie Kutegeka, Kenneth Nyombi, Barbara Nakangu, Robert Bagyenda, Martha Mbosa, and Matt McCandless. CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN UGANDA: RAKAI AND KAPCHORWA DISTRICTS. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2013. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_uganda.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{dekens2013climate, author = {Dekens, Julie and Dion, Jason and Kutegeka, Sophie and Nyombi, Kenneth and Nakangu, Barbara and Bagyenda, Robert and Mbosa, Martha and McCandless, Matt}, title = {{CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN UGANDA: RAKAI AND KAPCHORWA DISTRICTS}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2013}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_uganda.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }