Abstract

Climate variability increasingly threatens rice production in Uganda, yet the perspectives of smallholder 
farmers and local institutions remain underrepresented in adaptation research. Understanding how these actors perceive 
and respond to climate risks is vital for designing context-specific resilience strategies. This study explores the experiences 
of farmers and District Agricultural Officers (DAOs) in Uganda’s major rice-producing districts Butaleja, Bugiri, Lira, 
and Nwoya. A qualitative design combining focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) 
examined experiential knowledge, institutional responses, and adaptation gaps across three rice production systems. Data 
were collected between September and November 2025 through five FGDs (50 participants) and four KIIs with DAOs. 
Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework identified recurring patterns and contextual contrasts. 
Farmers demonstrated strong awareness of climate risks delayed rainfall, floods, prolonged droughts, and pest outbreaks 
but limited resources constrained adaptation. Institutional perspectives confirmed these challenges: adaptation programs 
such as seed multiplication, farmer training, and irrigation remain hindered by weak extension coverage, limited 
financing, and fragmented coordination. Flooding in Butaleja’s Doho scheme and droughts in Nwoya illustrate localized 
vulnerabilities despite initiatives like ACDP and PRELNOR. Resilience in Uganda’s rice systems depends on the synergy 
between farmer innovation, institutional capacity, and infrastructure. Strengthening district-level coordination, 
expanding irrigation and climate-information services, and revitalizing farmer cooperatives could transform coping into 
sustained adaptation, advancing Uganda’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Framework and National Development Plan IV 
toward SDGs 2, 8, 13, and 17.