Gender-disaggregated, household survey data for Uganda are used to examine how gendered roles and responsibilities influence adoption of drought-tolerant (DT) maize, a new technology that can help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa adapt to drought risk. Compared to men farmers, women farmers have much lower adoption of DT maize, mainly due to differences in resource access, notably land, agricultural information, and credit. Other social identities including age, income and marital status also influence DT maize adoption among women but not among men. Young, poor women household heads are the least likely to adopt the technology while wives strongly influence adoption of DT maize on plots controlled by their husbands. Authors discuss the implications of study findings for the development of well-targeted and socially-inclusive adaptation policies.