Attitudes, Practices and Knowledge of Communities Towards Climate Change Around Lake Mburo National Park Uganda: A Gender Centered Analysis

Abstract The study was done to assess gender dimensions in relation to climate change attitudes and adaptation strategies among small holder crop farmers, pastoralists and ago-pastoralists of Isingiro and Kiruhura districts, among communities surrounding Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda. The study contributes to the theoretical and conceptual discourse on climate change and varied gender responses. Through the lenses of gender socialization, the study reviewed men and women’s attitudinal responses to climate change: a pragmatic research paradigm was used based on a thematic review model. Participatory methods and a questionnaire were used to collect data. Both sexes (99.5%) observed signs of climate change. The major causes of climate change were cutting of trees (39%, p\u3c0.001), drainage of swamps (21.9%, p\u3c0.01), use of solar panels (16.7%) and a curse from God (14.3%). More men (46.9%) than women (31.2%) (p\u3c0.001) said that cutting of trees was the cause of climate change. A highly significant (p=0.003) more women (19.4%) said the curse from God was a cause. The other causes mentioned had no gender differences. The major observed ecological effect of climate change was drought (39%, p\u3c0.001), followed by shifts of crop growing seasons (21.9%, p=0.01), increase in crop diseases and pests (13.5%) and soil erosion (11.3%). Significantly (p=0.0001) more men (18.4%) said soil erosion was the ecological effect of climate change than women (4.4%). There were no significant differences in gender responses identifying coping mechanisms to deal with the effects of climate change. The findings indicate that there were no salient climate change coping strategies adopted. On a low scale, communities, migrated to the neighboring districts and around LMNP in search of pasture and water; found alternative sources of income, sold cattle at salvage prices and reduced daily meals taken. In conclusion, the communities were aware that there was climate change but had no sustainable coping strategies adopted; hence the study recommends communal education on how to cope with climate change effects using a gender approach