The FG/IFAD VCDP is paying an insurance premium for two thousand farmers across the eight participating council areas of Anambra state in the next farming season.

This included the seven hundred and fifty farmers it paid the total cost of their insurance last year.

The state Agric Production Officers, FG/IFAD VCDP, Mr Emmanuel Chukwukwelu, announced this, on Monday, during sensitization for Insurance cover as mitigation against possible crop production failure across the eight participating council areas of the state.

While addressing participants at Atani, Ogbaru Local Government Area and Umuohi Okija Youth Centre, Ihiala Local Government Area, Mr Chukwukwelu said the insurance premium will cover only a hectare of rice farm each.

The state Agro Technician, F/G IFAD VCDP, Mr Ifeanyi Okoye, who frowned at some farmers who are still reluctant in accepting what he described as an important aspect of their farming business, appealed to them to always insure their farms to have a fall back whenever there is a disaster.

He advised them to always insure their farms immediately they plant, warming that climate change has taken another dimension.

Taking participants on Insurance Policies, Insurance Documentation and Procedures, and claims Settlement Procedure across agricultural Value Chain, the state Manager, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Cooperation, NAIC, Mr Andrew Uzoma, announced that they are already preparing indemnity owed to farmers who have claims in this year’s disaster.

Mr Uzoma who said that they paid over one hundred and thirty-two million naira indemnity to Anambra farmers last year, expressed joy that more community are keying into the system.

While a participant, Mrs Joan Ajie, a rice and cassava farmer from Ochuche, Ogbaru council area appealed for early disbursement of farm inputs to enable them to harvest before flooding and her counterpart from Umunankwo, also in Ogbaru council area Mr. Aloysius Nwadeghi, expressed joy over the sensitization visit saying that majority of the farmers are ignorant of the benefits of insuring their farm.

Another participant, Mrs Ngozi Nwakachi, a cassava farmer from Ihiala Local Government Area assured her readiness to insure her farm to have a fall back whenever there is disaster.

SOURCE: TRIBUNE