Browsing by Author "Majaliwa, J.G.M."

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    Determinants Of Climate Change Adaptation Among Male And Female Headed Farm Households In Eastern Uganda
    (African Crop Science Journal, 2012) Nabikolo, D.; Bashaasha, B.; Mangheni, M.N.; Majaliwa, J.G.M.
    Adaptation is considered an appropriate response to climate change and variability, especially for the smallholder farmers. However, the response decisions and actions of male and female farmers may be influenced by various factor and factor combinations that are not adequately understood. We hypothesized that both male and female farmers are climate change conscious and responsive; and that there is a gender dimension to the choice of a climate change adaptation strategy. We utilised a combination of descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis to study the factors that influence the choice of a decision to adapt to a climate change scenario. Using cross-sectional data collected from 136 households in eastern Uganda, we undertook the analysis at two levels; pooled sample analysis and a gender disaggregated analysis. Contrary to perceived wisdom and evidence from other empirical studies, the factors that influence the climate change adaptation decision vary considerably between male and female household heads. Climate change adaptation decisions of female heads depended on and were sensitive to more covariates compared to the decisions of male heads of household. Furthermore, climate change adaptation decisions of female heads were influenced by more liquid household assets, while those of male heads were influenced by real estate, especially land. Additionally, beyond gender, other demographic factors appeared to play no significant role in the decision to adapt to climate change.
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    Magnitude and transition potential of land-use/ cover changes in the trans-boundary river Sio catchment using remote sensing and GIS
    (Annals of GIS, 2011) Barasa, B.; Majaliwa, J.G.M.; Lwasa, S.; Obando, J.; Bamutaze, Y.
    The multiplicity of land-use/cover changes in reducing the areas covered by vegetation is of growing concern in Uganda today. Consequently, the study intended to determine the magnitude and transition potential of land-use/cover changes in a trans-boundary river Sio catchment. The magnitude of land-use/cover changes was determined by an application of unsupervised image classification on the ortho-rectified Landsat TM/ETM images of 1986 and 2000 using ILWIS 3.3 software; whereas an ArcGIS 9.2-based Land Change Modeler was used for both change analysis and transition potential modeling. The results showed that in the period of 1986 to 2000, wetlands and bushlands largely reduced by 21% and 5%, respectively, whereas small-scale farming and grasslands increased by 14% and 12%, respectively. The multilayer perceptron attained an accuracy of 97.03%, which is a higher percentage for the possible occurrences of land-use/cover changes in Sio catchment. The major drivers of land-use/cover changes are land ownership and household size. The study therefore recommends that the awareness of land-use/cover changes is extremely important for the Sio catchment’s planning and management of the natural resources.
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    Nature and Dynamics of Climate Variability in the Uganda Cattle Corridor
    (African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2013) Nimusiima, Alex; Basalirwa, C. P. K.; Majaliwa, J.G.M.; Otim-Nape, W.; Okello-Onen, J.; Rubaire-Akiiki, C.; Konde-Lule, J.; Ogwal-Byenek, S.
    The study was conducted in the districts of Nakaseke and Nakasongola stratified into four farming systems of crop dominancy, pastoralists, mixed crop and livestock and fishing. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) how do community residents perceive climate change/variability? (2) What is the trend and nature of climate variability and how does it compare with people’s perceptions? Ninety eight percent (98%) of the respondents reported that the routine patterns of weather and climate had changed in the last 5 to 10 years and it has become less predictable with sunshine hours being extended and rainfall amounts being reduced. This compared well with the analyzed secondary data. Over 78% respondents perceived climate change and variability to be caused by tree cutting other than the known scientific reasons like increase in industrial fumes or increased fossil fuel use. Climate data showed that over the period 1961 to 2010 the number of dry spells within a rainfall season had increased with the most significant increase observed in the first rainfall season of March to May as compared to the season of September to November. The first dry season of June/July to August is short while the second dry season of December to February is long during the study period. The two rainfall seasons of March to May and September to November seem to be merging into one major season from May to November. Temperature data shows a significant increasing trend in mean annual temperatures with the most increase observed in the mean annual minimum temperatures than the maximum temperatures.
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    Variability Of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Under Different Land Uses: A Study In An Afro-Montane Landscape In Southwestern Uganda
    (Geoderma, 2013) Twongyirwe, R.; Sheil, D.; Majaliwa, J.G.M.; Ebanyat, P.; Tenywa, M.M.; Kumar, L.
    We explore and compare quantities and patterns of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) in protected forest and neighboring land around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (a mountain protected area in Southwestern Uganda). We assessed paired sites of natural forest and major land uses (potato, tea and grazing lands) converted between 1973 and 2010. These pairings were replicated at three altitudinal zones. Plots (20m by 50m) were demarcated within each site. Five composite soil and core samples were obtained from 0 to 15cm (top-soil) and 15–30cm (sub-soil) at each plot. In total, 192 composite soil and core samples were collected. Within forest we found marked site to site variation in SOC from 54.6 to 82.6Mg/ha. There was a tendency for higher SOC in converted land, associated with higher bulk density suggesting quality based land use selection with forest left on inferior soils. Cultivation, landscape position, slope and sampling depth were all significantly (P<0.05) related to variation in SOC stocks following forest conversion but time since conversion had no detectable impact. Interestingly, there was no significant relationship between SOC in the top and sub-soils. Higher SOC is largely determined by higher bulk density. The large SOC stocks in these afro-montane soils are less predictable and more persistent than anticipated.