MINAGRI produces trainers to help implement crop and livestock insurance scheme

By Elias Hakizimana.

The ministry of agriculture and animal resources (MINAGRI) carried out training of trainers   (TOT) for the implementation of National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS), specifically Livestock Insurance.

The training aimed at assessing the progress and challenges in the scheme implementation and devising the way forward.

Dr. Solange Uwituze, the Deputy Director General in charge of Animal Resources Research and Technology Transfer at Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) said the training targeted different key players in the sector.

“We are training key players in the insurance sector such as veterinarians, research stations managers, and insurance companies among others to know the current status and challenges after two years because there is a very low uptake of livestock insurance. This will help us to know where we should put in more effort,” she said.

She urged farmers to embrace crop and livestock insurance explaining the very few farmers have embraced crop and livestock insurance.

“The insurance will cushion farmers against losses caused by any disasters or accidents,” she said.

Since the launch of the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme on April 23, 2019, 44,221 cows, 3020 pigs and 208,749 chickens have been enrolled in the scheme, she said.

At least Rwf461,917,666  has been compensated to farmers who encountered losses.

The scheme, which is subsidised up to 40% by MINAGRI, helps in de-risking the agriculture sector and enables farmers to easily access financial services. It covers maize, rice, french beans, Irish potatoes & Chill in crops, while in livestock it covers dairy cattle, pigs & chicken.

She said that there is still to sensitize farmers considering that very few of them have understood the role of crop and livestock insurance.

“Farmers should learn from other farmers who insured their livestock to assess how it works and benefits them,” she said.

So far, she said, the government is working with five insurance companies that have crop and livestock insurance products.

Government seeks to have 10 percent of livestock insured in 2021/22 fiscal year with subsidies.

Uwituze said that delays in compensating farmers under the scheme were discouraging adding that the issue is being addressed.

Emmanuel Irankunda in charge of crop and livestock insurance in UAP Rwanda said that timely compensation has been assured adding that farmers should be paid within 15 days.

He said the company started to work with the government this fiscal year in the subsidized scheme but introduced an agricultural insurance scheme 10 years ago adding, however, that there is still low uptake.

“From July, we have received requests of 172 cows to be insured, 70,000 chickens and 300 pigs. In 2019/2020, we had insured over 9,000 cows and 90,000 chickens,” he said.

Jean De Dieu Niyitanga, The Veterinarian in Rwamagana District said that 832 cows, 8,000 chickens and 700 pigs were insured in the 2020/21 fiscal year.

“This year 1,200 cows, 150,000 chickens, 2,000 pigs will be insured. The deadly diseases should be a lesson to farmers,” he said.