Title: Assessment of adaptation to climate change in Namayingo District, Uganda, through a gender lens

The impacts of climate change are especially problematic for poor rural people living mainly by means of subsistence farming. Hence this study assessed the adaptive capacities of a rural Ugandan community named Namayingo to the effects of climate change, with emphasis on gender. The objectives were to identify climate change effects and adaptive measures being employed and to examine challenges and gender roles in climate change adaption. Ten semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted, involving both men and women. The interviews were recorded, transcribed word by word and thematic content analysis used for data analysis. The study revealed that people in the Namayingo community experience many effects of climate change, e.g. prolonged drought periods, unpredictable rainfall, water scarcity, decline in soil fertility and more pests and diseases than before. Many adaption strategies were identified, e.g. men taking over the water collection role from women, intercropping, cultivation in wetlands, small scale businesses, and some urban migration in search of income. Mutual helpfulness among community members was also evident. The community faces many challenges, like limited financial resources, inadequate extension services, limited land, and unequal support from the government, which supports women and youth by soft loans, but not men. It is important to support poor subsistence farmers struggling to adapt to the detrimental climate change effects. This study therefore recommends that Ugandan authorities and NGOs revise policies and support strategies to affected communities, that new support strategies target whole communities, not only women and youth, and that the communities are involved in developing them. Also, that, extension services and other necessary resources should be made available to all subsistence farmers.