A member of the Lands and Forestry Committee in parliament and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Aduagyire, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh has called for the institution of insurance policy for cash crop farmers.
While making the call on the floor of parliament today, he said the insurance would provide monetary allocations to farmers who lose their crops and livestock due to natural disasters.
According to him, when farmers lose their crops due to natural phenomenon they also lose their source of livelihoods, “this is why we need this policy to form some sort of financial assistance to help them replant.”
“Climate change and irregular rain fall patterns have made Ghanaian farmers vulnerable to losses since most of them do not have the ability to engage in climate smart agriculture,” he said in an interview with Ghana Dadwen’s Bright Asempa.
“The institution of the index farming insurance would make farming more attractive to the youth since they will know their parts of their losses could be covered by the policy,” he said.
“As farming is becoming a riskier venture, investors are shying away from agriculture, however, this insurance will also serve as an incentive for farmers to improve food production,” he said.
He maintained that African countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia have implemented same policies that have boosted their agricultural industry.
“We have to start with a pilot implementation for farmers of cash crops such as cocoa, cashew, pineapple, pawpaw and mango,” he urged.
“The cabinet and the executive arm of government must take up this issue and submit legislation to parliament that would amend the Insurance Act to provide coverage for farmers,” he reiterated.
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