Gatsibo District Mayor Richard Gasana has called on residents to fully embrace the Government’s agricultural insurance initiative, known as Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi, saying it offers a vital safety net that can boost productivity and protect livelihoods.
He made the remarks on Thursday, October 23, while speaking to journalists who have been touring communities in the Eastern Province to assess how the insurance scheme is being implemented and perceived by farmers.
Mayor Gasana noted that awareness and uptake of agricultural insurance are gradually improving, although many farmers are still hesitant. He highlighted rice farming as a success story, revealing that all rice farmers in the district have insured their crops.“All rice cooperatives have insured their cultivation area. We have about 1,200 hectares of rice under insurance. Some farmers affected by disasters have already received compensation from insurance companies,” he said.
However, he pointed out that livestock and other crop insurance coverage remains relatively low, stressing the need for increased sensitization among both farmers and insurance providers to enhance service accessibility and reliability.“We are holding discussions with insurance companies to ensure their services become more farmer friendly. Right now, insurance mostly covers input costs. We want to see compensation extend to actual yields or production loss,” he explained.
Current district data shows that only 167 hectares of maize and 14 hectares of beans are insured, compared to 1,200 hectares of rice insured at 100 percent coverage.
For livestock, only 1,492 cattle are insured out of the district’s 70,000, along with 79 pigs and about 400 chickens.
Despite the low numbers, Gasana expressed confidence that uptake will continue to rise, driven by testimonies of farmers who have already benefited from insurance compensation. “We encourage farmers using examples of fellow farmers who were compensated after losing insured crops or livestock,” he said.
He also reminded farmers of the guidelines under Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)’s Tekana insurance program, urging them to comply to avoid potential losses due to negligence. Claims processing, he added, can take as little as seven days but should not exceed one month.
Farmers already enrolled in the scheme say they are satisfied with the protection it provides.
Members of CODIGA Cooperative in Gatsibo Sector, which cultivates maize and soybean on 23 hectares, said insurance has made a significant difference. Cooperative leader Samuel Nsanzabahizi recalled a devastating loss in Season A 2023, when disease destroyed their entire maize crop, costing them nearly RWF 50 million. “At that time, we had no insurance and lost everything,” he said. “After that experience, we realized how essential insurance is and joined the Tekana program.”He added that although the recent 2024 Season A maize harvest also faced challenges, their insurance provider compensated them, helping them recover and continue farming with hope.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
