Farmers who suffered losses last year but had insured their crop under a government supported insurance scheme will receive their compensation totalling Sh. 117.4 million. The 25,228 farmers who lodged the claims were among the 409,000 in 27 Counties who insured their crops during the long rainy season in 2019 at a total risk value of Ksh2 billion. As per requirement, the crop loss assessment was done through crop cutting at the end of the seasons. This brings to a total of 37,500 farmers who have benefitted from crop loss compensation to the tune of KES 217 Million since the crop insurance program begun in 2016. Speaking in Nairobi where he launched the pay-out compensation, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Hon. Peter Munya noted that insurance is expected to contribute towards a long-term transformation of farming from subsistence to commercial agriculture. The CS mentioned that compensation during a failed season is critical for stabilizing farmer incomes and building resilience leading to overall agricultural growth and development. “In recognition of this, the ministry, with support from partners in the insurance sector, developed the crops and livestock insurance programs to support farmers’ access to agriculture insurance,” he said.
The comprehensive Crop Insurance Program (CIP) covers various crops, namely maize, pulses and Irish Potatoes against natural hazards such as weather, pests and diseases. The programme has been rolled out in 33 counties and will later expand to cover other crops including wheat, rice, cash and horticultural crops. The APA Insurance leads a consortium of six Kenyan insurers including UAP, CIC, AMACO, Jubilee, and Kenya Orient to offer the insurance cover to farmers. The Ministry through the State Department for Crop Development and Agriculture Research, pays 50 per cent of the premiums for farmers with acreages of between quarter of an acre to 20 acres and the farmer paying the remaining 50 per cent. Farmers with farms larger than 20 acres are however required to pay the full insurance premiums for the additional acreages above the first 20 acres.