Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
AS farmers gear up for the 2026/27 summer cropping season, experts are urging them to embrace agricultural insurance as a critical safeguard against unpredictable weather patterns and the potential impact of El Niño conditions.
Insurance executive, Mr Ronnie Damara, said agriculture remains one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate-related shocks, making insurance an essential risk management tool rather than an optional expense.
He said farmers should view insurance as a financial safety net capable of cushioning them from devastating losses caused by natural disasters and unforeseen events.
“Agricultural insurance is an important financial risk management tool designed to protect farmers against specified losses that may arise during farming operations,” said Mr Damara.
He noted that every farming season requires substantial investment in inputs such as seed, fertiliser, chemicals, labour, machinery and irrigation equipment, all of which can be wiped out by disasters.
“An unexpected event such as flooding, fire, hailstorms or machinery breakdown can significantly affect a farmer’s ability to recover these investments. Insurance allows farmers to transfer specific financial risks to an insurance company, subject to policy terms, conditions and exclusions,” he said.
Mr Damara stressed the importance of farmers fully understanding their insurance policies, warning that not all agricultural insurance products provide automatic protection against drought, flooding or crop failure.
“Farmers need guidance to identify the risks they face and secure appropriate cover where suitable products are available. Insurance companies and advisers have a responsibility to ensure that farmers understand exactly what is covered and what is excluded,” he said.
He explained that crop insurance can offer protection against risks such as hailstorms, fire and other insured perils, while flood and storm damage may also be covered where specifically included in a policy.
Farmers concerned about drought, he added, should enquire about specialised drought insurance or weather-index insurance products where available. “Conventional crop insurance does not automatically provide protection against drought or poor yields resulting from inadequate rainfall. Farmers must make sure they understand the scope of their cover before taking out a policy,” he said.
Mr Damara also encouraged livestock farmers to insure their animals against specified risks affecting cattle, dairy herds, poultry and other livestock enterprises.
Depending on the policy, livestock insurance can provide compensation for accidental death, certain diseases and other insured events.
“Farmers must establish whether drought-related livestock mortality, starvation or disease outbreaks are covered or excluded, as these risks are not automatically included in standard policies,” he said.
Beyond crops and livestock, Mr Damara urged farmers to insure agricultural machinery, equipment and farm infrastructure such as tobacco curing barns, warehouses and solar installations against risks including fire, storms, flooding and theft. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers union president, Dr Shadreck Makombe, said farmers generally appreciate the importance of agricultural insurance, but many require more information on how policies work.
“Farmers understand the need to insure their operations against unforeseen natural and man-made disasters. What is limiting many of them is the capacity to afford cover and a lack of understanding of available products,” he said.
Dr Makombe commended efforts by insurance companies to engage farmers but said more education was needed to improve uptake.
“Insurance benefits everyone. Insurance companies gain business, while farmers receive financial relief when disaster strikes. The payout may not cover 100 percent of the loss, but it provides far better protection than having no insurance at all,” he said.
Headlands Small-Scale Farmers Association chairman, Mr Innocent Magutakuona, called on insurers to develop products tailored to the needs and financial capacities of smallholder farmers. He said many small-scale farmers still regard insurance as an added cost rather than an investment because existing products are often beyond their reach.
“Farmers operate at different scales and insurance companies need to offer flexible products that cater for those differences. The one-size-fits-all approach is not working. Currently, many insured small-scale farmers are those operating under contract farming arrangements with merchants,” said Mr Magutakuona.
Farmers urged to embrace agriculture insurance
