• The National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS)

The National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS)

Overview

Since 2019, Rwanda has embraced an innovative solution to de-risk the agriculture sector. This is the story of Rwanda’s National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) dubbed in Kinyarwanda “Tekana “Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi” initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources to mitigate risks and losses incurred by farmers due to unpredictable weather patterns, natural disasters, pests, and diseases that affect their livestock and crops. The development of the scheme subsidized up to 40% by the Government of Rwanda has been supported by development partners through Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR).

NAIS is a government initiative providing farmers with financial protection against the risks associated with agriculture, such as crop failure, livestock diseases, and natural disasters. The scheme is designed to support the growth of the agricultural sector in Rwanda by mitigating the financial impacts of unforeseen events that can harm farmers’ livelihoods.

Key Achievements

Crop farmers benefiting from the government subsidy
0
Livestock keepers benefiting from the government subsidy
0
SMEs benefiting from the government subsidy
0
Premium collected
FRW 0 billion
Payout to crops and livestock farmers
FRW 0 billion

Key Features of NAIS

Crop Insurance:

  • The scheme offers insurance for various crops, particularly those that are staple foods or have high economic value in Rwanda and the coverage includes risks from drought, flood, pest infestations, and disease outbreaks.

    • Rice
    Maize for consumption
    Maize for seed multipliers
    Irish potatoes for seed multipliers
    Irish for consumption
    Cassava
    Soya bean
    Beans
    French beans

    Premium Subsidy

  • To make the insurance more affordable for smallholder farmers, premiums are heavily subsidized by the government that covers 40%, while farmers pay the remaining 60%. This is also in line with the national agricultural strategy and broader efforts to enhance food security and improve farmers’ livelihoods and resilience.

    • Livestock Insurance

  • The livestock component provides coverage for risks related to disease outbreaks, death, or accidents affecting the following insured livestock.

    • Cattle both dairy cows and bulls
    Piggery
    Poultry
    Aquaculture

    Insurance Providers

  • To ensure effective delivery of the scheme, the implementation of NAIS involves collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) and various insurance companies that include Old Mutual, BK General Insurance, SONARWA General Insurance and Radiant Yacu.