Nyandarua, Kenya, Feb 24 – At least 300 crop farmers in Nyandarua have received insurance payouts after their crops failed on prevailing drought.
The Crop Insurance Compensation came from Apollo agriculture group in partnership with APA Insurance Company.
Farmers drawn from Aberdare and Nyandarua North whose crops were damaged by drought, pests, diseases and other natural calamities were paid.
“Kenyan agriculture is vital to the country’s economy and has over 75 per cent of people who rely on agriculture at various degrees for their livelihoods and hence the need for agriculture insurance as part of the broader risk management program and a key strategy to de-risk agriculture,” Apollo official Eliezer Muriithi said.
“Crop insurance aims to contribute towards a long-term transformation of farming from subsistence to commercial agriculture. Further, farmers’ compensations during a failed season is critical for stabilizing their incomes and building of resilience thus leading to overall agricultural growth and development,” he added.
Under the program, registered farmers are able to buy pre-prepared input packages of seeds, equipment, and consumables from selected suppliers.
Various stakeholders present among them government officers underscored the need to encourage farmers to insure their crops and in order to avert huge losses as a result of crop failure.
Further, they challenged farmers to cultivate drought resistant crops that will withstand harsh climatic conditions and eventually contribute to food security.
