Kenyan farmers have long dreaded the day the rains falter or come as floods. Now, the Ministry of Agriculture says it is finally giving them a safety net.
Under a new Integrated Agricultural Insurance Programme, every smallholder who picks up subsidised fertiliser will automatically get a climate-risk policy worth KSh 7,000, enough to replace two bags of inputs lost to drought, floods or pests.
The pilot covers 11 high-production counties – Makueni, Machakos, Kisii, Migori, Meru, Nyeri, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Kericho, Nakuru and Uasin Gishu – and aims to reach 250,000 growers this season before scaling nationwide.
“Farmers are automatically enrolled in the insurance scheme when receiving their subsidized fertiliser, an essential step in the success of this public-private partnership initiative.” the ministry said, calling the move “a major shift toward inclusive insurance at scale.”
Fewer than five percent of Kenyan farmers carry any formal cover, despite agriculture accounting for a third of GDP and more than 70 percent of rural jobs. One bad season can wipe out a family’s income, push children out of school and derail loan repayments.
Paul Ronoh, the Agriculture Principal Secretary, stated: “We are changing how we protect our farmers by including insurance in essential services like fertiliser distribution.”
How the scheme works
- Automatic enrolment – No paperwork. A farmer’s details in the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS) trigger the cover at the fertiliser depot.
- Fast payouts – Satellite data and AI tools will flag weather shocks and credit compensation straight to mobile wallets or provide replacement inputs. “By using digital tools and linking them to mobile wallets, we will ensure farmers are paid quickly when it matters,” said Lemonade Foundation’s Dimitri Fishler.
- Public-private mix – Pula Advisors runs policy design, Bayer Foundation and SOMPO Digital Lab supply premium support, and Etherisc handles blockchain-based claims processing.
Mildred Nadah Pita of Bayer added, “This partnership is about making resilience a right for farmers, not a privilege for a few.”
The ministry says it plans to double the insured amount in future seasons and invite local cooperatives to co-pay premiums so the scheme survives beyond donor funding. “Together, we are making sure our farmers get dignity and stability as they feed the nation,” said Pula CEO Thomas Njeru.
For now, farmers will be watching the skies—and their phones—to see if the promise of quick, fair payouts holds when the weather turns.
