Safe Farming: No More Praying for Rain
December 9, 2011
Seeds in a farmer's hand
Jeff Haskins
Traditional crop insurance relies on farm visits, a proposition which doesn’t add up for small farmers. Kilimo Salama uses creative, low-cost methods, such as weather stations and mobile money transfers, to remotely determine whether weather conditions justify a payout for farmers.
Syngenta Foundation For Sustainable Agriculture’s Kilimo Salama is the first micro-insurance product available to smallholder farmers in Kenya. Using mobile phones to cost-effectively and sustainably administer insurance and collect and distribute crop production advice, Kilimo Salama insures farm inputs and harvests against both drought and excess rain. Over 21,000 farmers have experienced the benefits and peace of mind that come with insurance, leading them to invest more in their farms, raising productivity and increasing their food security.
For more information on the project, check out Kilimo Salama’s founder Rose Goslinga’s presentation at Pop Tech:
no comments yet
