Effects of Changing Weather Patterns on Household Food Security in Bukiro Sub County, Mbarara District

Abstract

Changing weather patterns and their variables are already negatively impacting food security by damaging crops, reducing yields, and increasing the prevalence of pests and diseases. These pests and diseases contend with crops for sunlight, water, and nutrients, further diminishing agricultural yields and creating issues for crops that were previously unexposed to these threats. Climate-related disruptions in food distribution and transportation, both internationally and domestically, have a substantial impact on not just safety and quality but also access to food. Prolonged dry spells followed by heavy and stormy rains cause interruptions in food production and transportation, reducing farmers' ability to get their grains to market and potentially affecting food prices. The study examined the effects of changing weather patterns on food security in smallholder households in Bukiro Sub County, Mbarara District. The objectives of the study were to a) establish the effects of changing weather patterns on food security among households) establish the coping strategies towards effects of changing weather patterns on food security by the smallholder households and c) propose the mitigation and adaptation strategies towards the effects of changing weather patterns on food security among households in Bukiro Sub County. This study assessed farmers’ perceptions of effects of changing weather patterns on food security and their coping strategies, mitigation and adaptation strategies towards effects of changing weather patterns in smallholder households in Bukiro Sub County, Mbarara District. A sample of 100 smallholder farmers were randomly selected from four parishes of Bukiro sub county and studied using questionnaire and observations. key informants were also conducted with six technical workers and three opinion leaders The research utilized quantitative and qualitative approaches of data collection. . software STAT 26 and Ms excel version 2016 were used to do data analysis. Quantitative data collection focused on gathering numerical data collected through structured questions and used to aggregate data and generate statistics based on respondents’ opinions and/or perceptions. Qualitative data collection involved use of interviews to capture in-depth information that was not captured through the questionnaires. The study incorporated descriptive statistics to present respondents’ opinion in the study regarding addressing the research questions. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis where information was obtained using questionnaires surveys on 100 smallholder farmers and interviews on key informants (9). The collected qualitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 26, presented in frequency tables, graphs and charts, and interpreted accordingly while narrative analysis method was used to analyse the qualitative data. The study xi found out that changing weather patterns through its variables specifically heavy and stormy rains, late of set of rains, and prolonged dry spells had significant effects on food security The perceived effects of changing weather patterns established were drying up of water sources(83.8%) Decreased land for crop growing 82.4%, reduction in crop yields 77.7%, drying of pastures for animals (67.4%), drying of crops 58.1%, and occurrence of crop and livestock pests and diseases at 56.6%. Also, the perceived weather changing variabilities were late onset of rains 60.1%, prolonged dry spells were responded 17.6% and heavy and stormy rains 22.3%. From the study finding farmers clearly perceived that changing weather patterns had negative effects smallholders’ agricultural production systems impacting negatively on food security.The study findings revealed that changing weather patterns, specifically the parameters of heavy rains and storms had a significant effect on food accessibility. Households that experienced heavy rains and storms faced difficulties in accessing food. The study findings also revealed that changing weather patterns, specifically late onset of rains and heavy rains and storms had a significant effect on food stability in Bukiro sub county. Findings further established that changing weather patterns, specifically late onset of rains had a significant effect on food utilisation in Bukiro sub county. Households that experienced it utilized the food they had due to uncertainties on how the rains would last and their intensity to cause need to grow crops. The study concluded that late onset of rains and heavy rains and storms are the changing weather patterns with the most significant threat to food security in Bukiro Sub County. The study recommended that weather resistant crops should be grown to minimize crop damages that come with unexpected changing weather patterns to improving food production. The study further recommended that people should increase on climate smart practices, ecological land use management practices and improved post-harvest handling technologies as a mitigation measure to heavy and stormy rains because few smallholder farmers were using them. The researcher also recommended effective capacity building to strengthen the most vulnerable groups in agricultural production, who are usually the smallholder farmers, with requisite knowledge and information necessary for weather change mitigation and adaptation.