Climate Change Effects on Agricultural Production and Rural Livelihoods in Rwanda: Gendered Adaptation Strategies from Smallholder Farmers in Bahimba Wetland, Rulindo District.

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the effects of climate change on agricultural production and rural livelihoods in Rwanda with a special focus on the existing gendered adaptation strategies from smallholder farmers in Bahimba Wetland, Rulindo District. Data were obtained using different methods and techniques of data collection including review of existing published and unpublished reports, analysis of meteorology data, field observation, household questionnaire and interviews. For data analysis, SPSS, Microsoft Excel and geospatial software were used. Drawing on household-level data, the study reveals that 71.6% of respondents are aged 31–65 and 59% are women. Most farmers (80%) possess only primary-level education or less, and 99% rely solely on farming as a livelihood. Despite climate shifts especially in rainfall patterns (reported by 92.6%) adaptive capacity remains low, with 83.2% of respondents citing a lack of knowledge and 88.4% having received no external support. Women, while leading 57.9% of farming activities, face significant barriers: limited decision-making power (67.9% report only partial involvement), inadequate access to training (8.4%), and low credit access (40% lack financing). While 92.6% report equal land access in theory, gender disparities persist in practice. The most common adaptation strategy is altering planting dates (83.2%), while more effective, resource-intensive methods remain underused. Policy findings emphasize the need for gender-separate adaptation strategies, endorsed by all respondents. Recommended interventions include strengthening women's access to climate services, promoting labour-saving technologies, supporting diversified income sources, and addressing systemic inequities in land tenure and education. The study concludes that effective adaptation in Rwanda’s wetlands must be gender-responsive, contextspecific, and structurally transformative to ensure long-term resilience and food security.