176
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies, such as stress-tolerant varieties
have the potential to increase productivity and reduce poverty levels of smallholder
farmers (Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2013). In addition, stresstolerant varieties may reduce the risk of pests and diseases that are accelerated by
climate change (Jellis 2009; Nyasimi et al. 2017). Among the challenges experienced by farmers in northern Uganda are a high prevalence of crop diseases and an
increasing occurrence of inter- and intra-seasonal dry spells (Mwongera et al. 2014).
Therefore, stress-tolerant varieties can reduce the cost of production and lower the
economic risk of investing in agriculture. Although trade-offs are possible, adoption
of stress-tolerant varieties can contribute to the three pillars of CSA by increasing
production and enhancing the resilience of farming systems (Shiferaw et al. 2014).
Furthermore, stress-tolerant varieties enhance the optimal use of available household resources and are, therefore, central to sustainable economic development
(Khatri–Chhetri et al. 2017).
We carried out studies in 2015 to prioritise context-specific CSA practices for
Nwoya District (Shikuku et al. 2015). The use of improved stress-tolerant varieties
was ranked highest among the shortlisted CSA practices by stakeholders. However,
the adoption of the stress-tolerant varieties was still low in the District, partly due to
past experience of other improved varieties as well as a lack of financial resources.
The most prevalent challenges to agriculture production, linked to climate stresses,
were: the high prevalence of pests and diseases, unpredictable rainfall patterns, soil
erosion, droughts and floods. Other practices that were selected as relevant to address
these matters included: maize legume intercrop, agroforestry, silvo-pastoral systems
and crop rotation. Few studies have assessed the impacts of climate change and climate-smart agriculture options on farm income, labour demand, food security and
nutrition, thus empirical evidence is still insufficient. Existing studies include, Makate
et al. (2016), which reported that households became more food secure and resilient
to climate change on the adoption of crop diversification. Also, Manda et al. (2016),
which argued that the adoption of improved varieties only increases the cost of production; but, when blended with a maize–legume intercrop, household crop income
increased. And Brüssow et al. (2017), which found that the adoption of CSA technologies by farmers in Tanzania increased household food security in terms of diversity
and stability. In this study, we assess the welfare effects of adopting stress-tolerant
varieties in Nwoya District, using per capita crop income as a proxy to measure farmers’ welfare. The study considered stress-tolerant varieties of maize, beans, cassava
and groundnuts. To fill important gaps in the evidence, this study asked the following
research questions: (i) what are the drivers for adoption of stress-tolerant varieties? (ii)
What is the impact of adopting stress-tolerant varieties on households’ welfare?
15.2 Data and Methods
The study used a household survey data set collected in Nwoya District, Uganda in
October 2014. The District covers a geographical area of 4736.2 square kilometres
(km
2
) and has an average population density of 36.99/km
2
. Over the course of the
C. M. Mwungu et al.
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies, such as stress-tolerant varieties
have the potential to increase productivity and reduce poverty levels of smallholder
farmers (Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2013). In addition, stresstolerant varieties may reduce the risk of pests and diseases that are accelerated by
climate change (Jellis 2009; Nyasimi et al. 2017). Among the challenges experienced by farmers in northern Uganda are a high prevalence of crop diseases and an
increasing occurrence of inter- and intra-seasonal dry spells (Mwongera et al. 2014).
Therefore, stress-tolerant varieties can reduce the cost of production and lower the
economic risk of investing in agriculture. Although trade-offs are possible, adoption
of stress-tolerant varieties can contribute to the three pillars of CSA by increasing
production and enhancing the resilience of farming systems (Shiferaw et al. 2014).
Furthermore, stress-tolerant varieties enhance the optimal use of available household resources and are, therefore, central to sustainable economic development
(Khatri–Chhetri et al. 2017).
We carried out studies in 2015 to prioritise context-specific CSA practices for
Nwoya District (Shikuku et al. 2015). The use of improved stress-tolerant varieties
was ranked highest among the shortlisted CSA practices by stakeholders. However,
the adoption of the stress-tolerant varieties was still low in the District, partly due to
past experience of other improved varieties as well as a lack of financial resources.
The most prevalent challenges to agriculture production, linked to climate stresses,
were: the high prevalence of pests and diseases, unpredictable rainfall patterns, soil
erosion, droughts and floods. Other practices that were selected as relevant to address
these matters included: maize legume intercrop, agroforestry, silvo-pastoral systems
and crop rotation. Few studies have assessed the impacts of climate change and climate-smart agriculture options on farm income, labour demand, food security and
nutrition, thus empirical evidence is still insufficient. Existing studies include, Makate
et al. (2016), which reported that households became more food secure and resilient
to climate change on the adoption of crop diversification. Also, Manda et al. (2016),
which argued that the adoption of improved varieties only increases the cost of production; but, when blended with a maize–legume intercrop, household crop income
increased. And Brüssow et al. (2017), which found that the adoption of CSA technologies by farmers in Tanzania increased household food security in terms of diversity
and stability. In this study, we assess the welfare effects of adopting stress-tolerant
varieties in Nwoya District, using per capita crop income as a proxy to measure farmers’ welfare. The study considered stress-tolerant varieties of maize, beans, cassava
and groundnuts. To fill important gaps in the evidence, this study asked the following
research questions: (i) what are the drivers for adoption of stress-tolerant varieties? (ii)
What is the impact of adopting stress-tolerant varieties on households’ welfare?
15.2 Data and Methods
The study used a household survey data set collected in Nwoya District, Uganda in
October 2014. The District covers a geographical area of 4736.2 square kilometres
(km
2
) and has an average population density of 36.99/km
2
. Over the course of the
C. M. Mwungu et al.