Embrace agriculture insurance, Veep tips farmers

By VANESSA MAGAYA

VICE-PRESIDENT Mutale Nalumango has advised farmers to embrace agricultural insurance and diversify their crops in response to changing weather patterns, stressing that insurance provides a safety net for farmers facing climate related losses.

During the Vice-President Question and Answer session, Ms Nalumango said agricultural insurance should not be viewed as a government responsibility alone, but as an important practice that Zambians, particularly farmers, need to adopt to protect their investments.

Ms Nalumango explained that farmers should make informed decisions about what crops to grow based on the rainfall projections and climatic conditions of their respective agricultural regions.

"Farmers in areas projected to experience low rainfall should avoid planting crops that require substantial amounts of water, as this could expose them to losses, adding that agricultural insurance provides protection even when farmers are encouraged to diversify their production," Ms Nalumango said.

She said agriculture diversification would allow farmers to make better use of available resources while adapting their farming activities to prevailing weather conditions.

She has also called on private sector insurance companies to intensify public education on the different types of insurance available, noting that many Zambians are not sufficiently aware that agricultural production, property and other assets can be insured.

Ms Nalumango clarified that the K400 being discussed is an insurance component and not money that farmers are required to pay for government provided farming inputs.

"Government has an insurance arrangement under the African Risk Capacity, through which Zambia secures coverage against climate-related risks.

Payouts under the arrangement are made to vulnerable beneficiaries following an assessment of the damage caused by adverse weather conditions," she said.

Ms Nalumango has called on Members of Parliament to take an active role in educating their constituents on climate smart agriculture, crop diversification and the importance of agricultural insurance.

Ends.