On January 16, 2020, three rice cooperatives in Gisagara District, who had insured their crops during the agriculture season 2020A, received compensation for damage caused by floods that destroyed their rice plantations recently.
The compensation, provided by Radiant insurance company, amounts to Frw 13,538,113 to cover the loss from 113 ha of rice damaged by downpour few weeks ago.

The farmer cooperatives include Cyili that lost 38 ha of rice and compensated Frw 3,500,174, Ngiryi that lost 30 ha and compensated Frw 4,453,862, and Nyiramageni that lost 45 ha and compensated Frw 5,584,077.

Speaking at the event, Marion Nirere, the coordinator of MINAGR SPIU, called upon all farmers to embrace the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme to mitigate losses incurred by natural disasters and diseases.
“We advise all farmers to insure their crops and animals to avoid unnecessary losses. This insurance scheme also facilitates them to access loans from financial institutions,” she said.
Mutumwinka Francince, one of the farmers who got compensated, says the agriculture insurance brings them as sigh of relief since they are now able to avoid losses caused by natural disasters.
“We used to face huge losses due to floods, drought and diseases, and we used to carry out our farming activities through endless hardship, but we are now relived of these risks. We really thank the government of Rwanda for supporting us with this great initiative of agriculture insurance,” the farmer says.
Dubbed “Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi,” the scheme which is subsidized up to 40% by the Government of Rwanda, was launched in April 2019. In the initial phase, this insurance scheme covers dairy cattle including both cross and exotic breeds, and rice and maize in crops. Starting with the next fiscal year in July 2020, the insurance scheme will be extended to many more crops and animals.
This insurance is being implemented through a multi-agency framework composed of selected insurance companies under the overall guidance and control of the government. Currently, SONARWA, PRIME and Radiant are the three insurance companies that are implementing the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme.