Context-specific collaborative learning for locally led adaptation to climate change
A case study in Kiboga district, Uganda
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24239622 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David Mfitumukiza (0000-0001-7399-004X), Celia Kenyangye, Patience Kekirunga, Fatuma Mutesi |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-19 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Socio-Ecological Practice Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2524-5279 • E-ISSN: 2524-5287 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s42532-026-00274-z |
| OpenAlex | W7222968939 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 79 |
Effective local adaptation to climate change requires bottom-up influence on knowledge creation systems for context relevant decision making. This calls for locally led collaborative learning (CL) approaches, whose establishment processes are currently not understood and documented, especially in the context of least developed countries and communities. This paper is part of a larger study aimed at generating an understanding of what bottom-up collaborative learning processes for climate adaptation look like at local community level. The specific objective of the paper is to communicate the context specific entry points and considerations for initiating locally led collaborative learning. The context of this paper is based on a case study in Kiboga District, which is one of the most drought hazard prone areas in Uganda. This is a qualitative, participatory action-oriented research study involving farmer-led experiential learning with researchers, practitioners and local government personnel. It was exploratory in nature, involving eight farmer groups in a hands-on establishment of collaborative learning activities. This was coupled with participant observations, discussions and interviews to gain understanding of what a farmer-led action-oriented collaborative learning process entailed. Findings show that alignment of meeting schedules to socio-economic activities, events, and respect for socio-cultural differences are very important aspects in establishment of CL. The study shows that important factors for participation in the establishment of CL include the need for new actionable knowledge, existence of farming groups, and farmers’ desire to improve their livelihoods through income generating activities. The most dominant learning needs were the establishment of water and soil conservation structures, identifying appropriate tree species for agroforestry, and knowledge on water harvesting techniques. Ultimately, the findings demonstrate that sustainable local adaptation requires practical climate interventions that intersect with socio-cultural contexts and community livelihood goals. The study offers actionable insights for context relevant community-based collaborative learning for local adaptation to climate change.
agroforestry trees · Climate change adaptation · Cooperative learning · drought · farmer groups · livelihood improvement · locally led adaptation · sociocultural context · soil and water conservation · water harvesting · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Climate change impacts on agriculture · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
The Action Research Planner
Community-based climate change adaptation
Supporting transformative climate adaptation
Indigenous knowledge and implications for the sustainable development agenda
Using Cultural Consensus Analysis to Measure Diversity in Social–Ecological Knowledge for Inclusive Climate Adaptation Planning
Experience and perception of climatic hazards as drivers for adaptation strategies in coastal communities of Bangladesh
Participation as a requirement
Applying a Social Constructivist Approach to an Online Course on Ethics of Research
Learning for collaborative action
Thematic analysis of qualitative data
Social learning through rural communities of practice
Social Learning for Anticipatory Adaptation to Climate Change
Motivations of farmers to participate in collective agri-environmental schemes
Encouraging research to be ecopracticological, three topical areas will be featured at the Sepr 2024 conference and in two 2025 special Sepr issues
Combining experiential and social learning approaches for crop disease management in a smallholder context
Socio-Ecological Practice Research (Sepr)
A collaborative learning approach to improving health worker performance in adolescent sexual and reproductive health service provision
From knowledge as domination to knowledge as governmentality
A global assessment of Indigenous community engagement in climate research
Participatory approaches to climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation
Uncovering ‘Community’
Community resilience for a 1.5 °C world
Political feasibility of 1.5°C societal transformations
Evaluating knowledge integration and co-production in a 2-year collaborative learning process with smallholder dairy farmer groups
Social learning and climate change adaptation
Can community-based governance strengthen citizenship in support of climate change adaptation? Testing insights from Self-Determination Theory
Assessing the quality of collaboration in transdisciplinary sustainability research
A Conceptual Framework for Social, Behavioral, and Environmental Change through Stakeholder Engagement in Water Resource Management
Skill acquisition within a (more-than-human) community of practice
Locally led adaptation
Enhancing and expanding intersectional research for climate change adaptation in agrarian settings
From community-based to locally led adaptation
Communities of Practice as a Social Theory of Learning
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Reclaiming Indigenous knowledge for sustainability
The Resilience of Indigenous Peoples to Environmental Change
Careful knowing as an aspect of environmental justice
The governance of adaptation
Effective climate knowledge brokering in a world of urgent transitions
Thematic Analysis
| Highly cited | No |
|---|