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Tariro Stacey Gatsi
THE Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) Holdings has urged wheat farmers to insure their crop against climate shocks and consolidate Government’s efforts towards boosting food security.
AFC Insurance general manager and agriculture insurance expert, Mr Cuthbert Masukume recently made the call saying agricultural insurance was an important tool in climate risk management that can ensure smallholder farmers are able to fund a novel season even after a crop failure in the preceding term.
Mr Masukume urged farmers to take risks and invest more in their farms even when the climate is so unpredictable.
“We cover, premature germination, frost, fire, hailstorms, windstorms, malicious damage, stray domestic animals, sprayed chemicals from nearby farms, and loss in transit,” he added.
Mr Masukume further stressed that veld fires also result in major losses for farmers and as the season approaches farmers must take insurance cover to curb crop losses.
“Farmers must know that insurance is not a waste of money but an investment for future wealth and in the event that disaster strikes, they will be insured. This means they will not lose entirely because insurance will cover them.
“Since farming is a serious business, it is necessary for farmers to ensure that their investments are secured and their food security guaranteed,” he added.
Insurance and Pensions Commission of Zimbabwe (IPEC) public relations manager Mr Lloyd Gumbo concurred urging communal farmers battling the adverse impact of climate change to safeguard their crops through investing in insurance.
“Communal farmers are the most affected globally, as far as climatic changes are concerned. Micro-insurance and agricultural insurance products can help them recover from the negative aftermaths of climate change, veld fires and other disasters,” he said.
IPEC, in conjunction with the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Ministry and insurance and agriculture stakeholders, is now working on an innovation lab project that seeks to guarantee protection of farmers.
The farmers have always cited various reasons for not taking up insurance cover, chief among them, unfulfilled promises and insurance illiteracy.
Meanwhile, Government has taken a deliberate policy position to immediately adopt wheat-based food security interventions in view of climate change and the current El-Nino-induced drought
“The past two seasons have seen our country attain great successes in wheat production and productivity, with surplus output in relation to our national wheat requirements.
“In view of climate change and the current El-Nino induced drought, my Government has taken a deliberate policy position to adopt a wheat-based food security intervention now and into the future,” said President Mnangagwa.
Online Reporter