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The Nairobian

57,000 farmers receive insurance payouts after severe weather devastates crops

Nairobi

By Kanyiri Wahito | Nov 08, 2024

More than 57,000 farmers whose crops were destroyed by drought and heavy rains are set to receive financial relief through a new insurance initiative.

Mayfair Insurance Company and Risk Shield Consultants have partnered to provide smallholder farmers covers to ease the financial burden caused by crop loss amid the country’s unpredictable weather conditions.

The harsh conditions during the 2024 planting season severely impacted agriculture.

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Intense rains led to flooding across farms in April and May, followed by a prolonged drought in June and July that withered crops still recovering from the earlier floods.

As a result, many farmers experienced devastating losses, with some losing up to 100 per cent of their yield.

Tupande CEO John Clark, the organisation spearheading the initiative, emphasised the importance of financial aid in times of crisis.

“Putting farmers first is embedded in everything we do,” Clark stated. “We are proud to announce this payout to help farmers recover from the devastating effects of drought and rainfall, which is critical to their livelihoods.”

Beyond emergency aid, this initiative provides year-round access to high-quality farming supplies, financing, and training on sustainable farming techniques.

Through local field agents and neighbourhood shops, farmers are encouraged to adopt climate-adapted practices, such as early-maturing crop varieties and tree planting to combat climate change.

For the 2024 season, farmers received weather index and area yield index insurance, which enabled payouts based on rainfall data and yield results in clusters facing similar conditions.

Due to extreme weather events, payouts will be directed toward outstanding loans for more than 33,000 farmers, with an additional 14,000 farmers receiving direct refunds.

With climate change intensifying weather variability, this support helps Kenya’s smallholder farmers build resilience, ensuring long-term food security and agricultural stability.

Smallholders manage the majority of Kenya’s arable land, so supporting them to build resilience is paramount in ensuring the country is able to produce more food,” Clark said.