This study investigates the perceptions, experiences, and responses of households in Mosu and Mmatshumo villages, located in the Boteti region of Botswana, towards climate variability and change. Through a mixed-methods approach including household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, data was collected to analyse the impacts of climate variability on livelihoods and the adoption of adaptation measures. The findings reveal that climate variability and change have led to reduced rainfall predictability, declining agricultural productivity, and decreased availability of veldt products. Despite these challenges, households have demonstrated resilience through livelihood diversification, changes in planting dates, and crop diversification. Logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of households' understanding of climate variability, including livelihood diversification, changes in planting dates, switching from farm to non-farm activities, and crop diversification. The study underscores the importance of promoting diversified livelihood strategies, enhancing agricultural adaptation measures, and raising awareness to build resilience to climate change in vulnerable communities. The recommendations provide valuable insights for policymakers, local authorities, and development agencies to formulate effective adaptation strategies and policies to mitigate the impacts of climate variability and change on rural livelihoods.