WFF, Ensure Insurance equip agripreneurs with insurance education
MBABANE – In a bid to empower young local farmers with knowledge of effective agricultural practices the Woman Farmer Foundation (WFF) has empowered a group of upcoming agripreneurs with insurance education.
Under its Innovative Climate Tunnel Production training programme, the organisation together with Ensure Insurance Brokers capacitated the young agripreneurs with the knowledge that focussed on the importance of insurance in the agri-space.
The capacitating was focussed on the importance of having insurance, especially with the current unpredictable climate change. Shingirai Phinaias stood in for Ensure Insurance and spoke to the entrepreneurs about agricultural insurance, including crop insurance, livestock insurance and greenhouse insurance. He emphasised the importance of protecting one’s crops from the elements and from unforeseen situations that can happen, such as droughts or storms.
Phinaias shared real-life examples of how insurance has helped farmers recover from losses due to natural disasters. The agripreneurs left the training programme with a better understanding of the benefits of insurance in protecting their crops and businesses.
The insurance broker together with WFF offered to provide further resources and support to help them navigate the process of getting insurance for their agricultural businesses. As a result, the collaboration between the two entities in bringing this training was a testament to the strides intended to equip the youth with an understanding of risk management and the importance of insurance in agricultural practices.
Similar initiatives have been witnessed in other African countries such as South Africa where in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering diversity and inclusivity within the agricultural sector, Land Bank Insurance unveiled its pioneering training programme dedicated
to empowering Black assessors.
The initiative was announced at the Mzansi Young Farmers Indaba last month. The initiative indicates a new era in agricultural assessment and insurance, promising a more equitable and sustainable future for farmers across South Africa.
TRANSFORMATIVE
Land Bank’s Insurance Company Managing Director Pascal Siphugu highlighted the transformative potential of the programme, stating, “Our training programme will be a game changer in the industry, empowering black assessors to play a pivotal role in revolutionising agricultural assessment and insurance. By providing comprehensive training and support, we aim to bridge the gap in representation and expertise, ensuring that all farmers have access to tailored insurance solutions that meet their unique needs.”
The main focus of WFF is the empowerment of the girls and women living in the rural areas of Eswatini. Its focus on youth, however, is not necessarily particular to females but is rather inclusive of both male and female youth.