Bahati Mwakasi, a farmer from Tiwi, has just received an insurance payout as compensation for crops lost during the last planting season in Kwale.
He is among the 13,000 coastal farmers benefiting from a crop insurance programme introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture under the Kenya Cereal Enhancement Programme-Climate Resilient Agriculture Livelihoods (KCEP-Cral).
The KCEP-Cral programme is meant to assist local farmers build resilience to challenges affecting farming, improve food security and livelihoods in arid and semi-arid areas.
Mwakasi is excited after a long period of wearing a gloomy face due to distress following massive crop loss and poor harvests prompted by diseases, pests and drought.
The previous farming seasons were a nightmare to farmers, who had to watch their crops consumed by drought that brought agricultural activities to a standstill in the county.
The rains had failed for three consecutive seasons, translating to losses.
Most local farmers who depended on river water and boreholes for irrigation also suffered the same fate.
Kinango and Lunga-Lunga constituencies were the hardest hit.
According to the Red Cross's previous statistics, about 90 per cent of water sources highly relied on by residents for domestic and agricultural use went dry in Kinango, resulting in poor yields and the death of thousands of livestock.
Food cropping and livestock farming are the backbone of the economy and the main source of livelihood to Kwale's population.
But because of high poverty levels, most farmers couldn't stand the wrath of the drought.
As a subscriber of the e-voucher digital and crop insurance programme, Mwakasi is certain of making a comeback and using the compensation money to buy farm inputs.
"This programme is magnificent. I was stressed, not knowing what to do after my crops failed. But luckily, the insurance had me covered and paid for the losses," he said.
The e-vouchers platform enables farmers to create bank accounts and budget their resources across different e-wallets, where the vouchers are used to buy pre-prepared farm inputs and equipment from specified suppliers.
Mwakasi said he can now buy new certified seeds and consumables to prepare ahead of the next planting season.
I was stressed, not knowing what to do after my crops failed. But luckily, the insurance had me covered and paid for the losses
THOUSANDS REGISTERED
Former Agriculture PS Hamadi Boga says at least 8,000 farmers are enrolled on the KCEP project, with Kwale having about 3,000 subscribers.
One has to be a member of the KCEP programme to access the crop insurance funds.
The programme has largely enhanced farmers' resilience to calamities and kept them focused on moving from subsistence farming to agribusiness enterprise.
Hamisi Mwadudu, who was compensated in the last season, managed to rise again, although erratic rains failed him.
According to the Kenya Red Cross Society secretary general Asha Mohammed, drought is still a major concern in ASAL areas.
It is projected that by the end of March, the number of affected people in Kenya will rise to 2.9 million if drought persists compared to last year's 2.1 million.
Last week, government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna said 2.7 million Kenyans are at risk of facing hunger.
But Mwadudu, who has insured his one-acre maize farm, is assured of getting another compensation if the situation worsens.
"I am not worried because the insurance is there to support me if things go south," he said.
Mwadudu is currently preparing his farm for another planting season. His worries are now limited to poor rains but not to losses anymore.
He received Sh4,900 to buy farm inputs. The compensation is done according to the size of the farm.
For example, Mwadudu paid Sh1,100 to register and insure his one-acre farm. The payment is done once.
Mwakasi is also having his land ready, but waiting for the appropriate time to plant.
In the last period, he had no harvests because of drought.
"In the previous season, we had poor yields. We completely got nothing, not even a small amount of food," he said.
Mbuguni livestock keeper and farmer Mbogo Mwayaya is yet to join the insurance programme after incurring endless losses following drought.
So is Chuphi Mgandi from Kinango, whose three acres of maize farm consecutively disappointed him because of extreme weather conditions.
"This time, I won't be locked out. I am going to enrol myself in the programme and benefit like the rest of the farmers," he said.
This [insurance] is to help them keep going and effectively respond to emergencies, which are always a major drawback to their success
WHY INSURE CROPS
David Mutinda, regional manager of technology and insurance company Pula Coast, said with the increasing climate change, farmers need to insure themselves against calamities.
He said with the current effects of global warming, new diseases and pests have exposed local farmers to more risks.
Mutinda said their previous surveys show that many farmers have incurred losses to damages caused by harsh weather and natural disasters.
These are the main reasons why most small-scale farmers do not grow socioeconomically, he said.
"This [insurance] is to help them keep going and effectively respond to emergencies like pests invasion, diseases, bad climate and other accidents, which are always a major drawback to their success," he said.
Kwale Agriculture executive Joan Nyamasyo said for local farmers living in ASAL areas, the crop insurance cover is inevitable.
She said since Kwale is among the frequently affected regions, having insurance programmes is one way of boosting food and nutrition security.
"When crops fail, it's important to have a recovery plan to stabilise food production, and crop insurance will enable farmers to prepare well for the next season," she said.
Last harvesting season, 70 per cent of farmers had no yields, Nyamasyo said.
She said the insurance will empower small-scale farmers to move from subsistence farming to agribusiness.
Nyamasyo said the compensation is part of creating resilience and motivating farmers to expand farming activities, knowing they are protected.
CHALLENGES FACED
The crop insurance programme is new to the locals and many don't know how it works.
Mutinda said in the Coast region, few have subscribed to the programme, but efforts are ongoing to reach out to many farmers.
Since the majority only practise small-scale farming, they don't see the need to insure their crops.
Tiribe farmer Hassan Nyangasi said it is a waste of time insuring his half-acre, saying the compensation won't help.
Pula co-founder Rose Goslinga says the payment is done after thorough research.
A team of experts is sent to the ground and it conducts some assessments before and after every harvest.
Goslinga said they compare the results with previous yields before making a payment.
"A team of enumerators harvest with the farmers, weigh the output and fill in the data using high technology.
"They then evaluate the results with past ones. If they are below the historical data, there is a payout. Above it, we don't pay," she said.
Poverty is also a disadvantage to the local farmers because most of them are poor and can't afford money for registration.
Due to the uncertain rains, many farmers have lost the morale to engage in farming, and find it worthless to insure crops that don't exist.
"What will you be protecting if the seeds die before they germinate? So, that's why we are reluctant," Nyangasi said.
