The Government of Kenya has launched " Kenya Livestock Insurance Program (KLIP)" that will insure 100,000 household against drought by 2019. The program, which is an initiative of the National Government in partnership with local governments and private sector insurance companies, has an objective of reducing the risks of livestock mortality emanating from drought and of building the resilience of vulnerable pastoralists in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs ) of Kenya through satellite-based index insurance. Under this program, "t he State Department of Livestock purchases premiums on behalf of...

In a blog post published on the World Bank Group's Voices and on Huffington Post, Gloria Grandolini, Senior Director of Finance & Markets Global Practice at the World Bank Group, wrote that market-based instruments – such as insurance ― can act as shock absorbers in case of natural disaster, helping countries around the world avoid the worst of a crisis’ financial impact. Ms. Grandolini also lists five reasons why investing in pre-crisis financial risk management can ease post-disaster recovery needs. As part of the World Bank Group’s Finance & Markets Global Practice, the Global...

Representatives of agricultural financing agencies in Africa are expected in Kigali, Rwanda, next month to come up with solutions to farmers’ financing challenges, KT Press of Rwanda reports. At the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association-AFRACA conference on best practices in rural agriculture finance, experts will discuss “fast-tracking replicability of functional models in rural and agricultural Finance.” The conference will also discuss weather index insurance, which was recently introduced in Rwanda, the report adds. Headquartered in Nairobi, AFRACA is a regional association of...

Plans are underway to draw up an insurance strategy on agriculture in Tanzania, AllAfrica reports. According to the country's Commissioner of Insurance, a meeting of insurance stakeholders was recently conducted to discuss the strategy. It is hoped that by having the strategy, agriculture will be stimulated, the report adds. Agriculture is Tanzania's economy mainstay, accounting for nearly 30% of GDP, and 67% of the workforce was employed in the sector in 2014. Most Tanzanian farmers are smallholders; few families cultivate more than two hectares. Around 20% of farmers use ox-ploughs, 10% use...