Low confidence hampers agricultural insurance uptake

THE majority of Zimbabwean farmers are uninsured, posing a serious threat to the sector in the face of prevalent insurable risks.
The country has witnessed a tremendous rebound in the sector on account of improved rainfall and government-funded programmes as well as private sector-driven contract schemes, resulting in self-sufficiency in crops such as maize and wheat.

However, there is concern that the lack of insurance cover remains a threat given the potential hazards along the production chain. “Risks in all these areas are insurable,” Zimbabwe Farmers Union executive director, Paul Zakariya, told The Financial Gazette this week. Zakariya said there was a need for engagement between the agriculture and insurance sectors to not only raise awareness, but to restore confidence after the insurance losses experienced in th