RESUMO
Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are at a greater risk to the impacts of climate variability. We therefore sought to assess vulnerability of smallholder sorghum farmers to climate variability in Kigezi highlands of south-western Uganda. A vulnerability index that integrates selected socio-economic and biophysical variables was obtained through key informant interviews and household surveys, from 230 conveniently sampled sorghum farming households within three sub-counties differentiated by altitude. Rainfall data were obtained from Uganda National Meteorological Authority. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 23) and STATA software to generate inferential and descriptive statistics, notably frequencies, percentages and chi-square tests, to establish relationship between variables. Content analysis was used to generate themes emerging from the qualitative data. The overall vulnerability index results indicate Kashambya as the most vulnerable (6.9), followed by Bubare (1.8), while Kamwezi was the least vulnerable (-0.2). This study recommends targeted extension services such as access to customised weather information and better agronomic practices to reduce smallholder sorghum farmers' vulnerability.
RESUMO
Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations are thought to have synchronized global temperatures during Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles, yet their impact relative to changes in high-latitude insolation and ice-sheet extent remains poorly constrained. Here, we use tropical glacial fluctuations to assess the timing of low-latitude temperature changes relative to global climate forcings. We report 10Be ages of moraines in tropical East Africa and South America and show that glaciers reached their maxima at ~29 to 20 ka, during the global Last Glacial Maximum. Tropical glacial recession was underway by 20 ka, before the rapid CO2 rise at ~18.2 ka. This "early" tropical warming was influenced by rising high-latitude insolation and coincident ice-sheet recession in both polar regions, which lowered the meridional thermal gradient and reduced tropical heat export to the high latitudes.
RESUMO
Mass movements are key drivers affecting the utilisation of many farmlands and consequently the livelihoods in mountains' ecosystems. Numerous expansive landslide scars can for years remain unusable for crop farming purposes, which is a major livelihood activity. This article examined the approaches and challenges faced by local communities in the rehabilitation of landslide-degraded areas in selected areas of Mt Elgon. Data were collected through field surveys of purposively selected scars, key informant interviews and focus group discussions with the local communities. The findings indicate that the local communities have initiated the rehabilitation of some scars to stabilise the slopes and also accelerate their quick recovery for beneficial purposes. Community trainings coupled with awareness and participatory actions during rehabilitation enhance community preparedness to landslide risks. However, there were noted constraints including limited resources, incidences of secondary slides, cracks and lack of adequate knowledge on the existing best practices for the rehabilitation of scars on deeply weathered soils. Further research should be focussed on generating relevant knowledge on regeneration rates under different socio-ecological conditions and for guiding sustainable utilisation of fragile areas.
RESUMO
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.4102/jamba.v9i1.390.].
