Determinants of the Adoption of Multiple Climate Smart Agricultural Practices Among Refugee Farmers in Uganda

Abstract

Refugee farmers in Uganda face compounded challenges due to climate change and resource constraints. These make the adoption of climate-smart agriculture urgent and difficult. To establish the level of adoption rates of various CSAPS and the determinants of the adoption of multiple climate-smart agricultural practices among this population, 202 refugee maize farmers in Madi-Okollo were
surveyed using structured questionnaires, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate probit regression. Results showed that hybrid seeds were the most widely adopted practice (51%), followed by crop rotation (42%) and cover cropping (30%), while irrigation and mulching lagged with 5% and 9%, respectively. Socioeconomic factors, especially household size and farm size, along with institutional factors such as credit access, market information, and extension services, were significant determinants of the adoption. Demographic factors like age, gender, and education did not significantly influence the adoption of CSAPS. The findings suggest that adoption levels of CSAPS are varied, and the efforts to promote CSAPS among refugees should focus on expanding tailored training, strengthening extension services, and improving access to credit and market information. These steps could enhance agricultural resilience and livelihoods in refugee communities.
Keywords: Climate Smart Agricultural Practices; Socioeconomic factors; institutional factors; Multivariate Probit Models.