Gender Disparities Sited in Strategies Employed by Bee Farmers to Minimize Impacts of Climate Variability in Kamwenge District, Western Uganda.

Hosea Opedes, Makerere University
Fredrick Tumwine, Makerere University
Isaac Mugume, Makerere University

Climate variability has affected rural farmers’ livelihoods. In Kamwenge District, both men and women are steadily incorporating bee farming activities into their livelihoods. The main focus of this study was to establish the rainfall trends, impacts of climate variability on bee farmer’s livelihoods and assess farmers coping strategies towards the impacts of climate variability according to gender. Findings showed that bee farming activities were being dominated by the men as compared to their female counterparts. Males and women reported similarly the same impacts of climate variability most especially increase in drought, loss in crop productivity, loss of crops and animals, increasing occurrence of pests and diseases and subsequently worsening poverty levels. They also highlighted to be engaged in coping strategies especially afforestation, agroforestry, environmental conservation, avoiding bush /charcoal burning and small scale irrigation and water dam construction especially for the livestock. KEY WORDS: Gender, rainfall variability, livelihoods, bee farming, Adaptation