In the face of the challenges posed by climate change, protecting farmers is becoming a priority. It was against this backdrop that the closing ceremony of the national indemnity tour on Indicial Agricultural Insurance, an innovative initiative of the Programme de Développement de l’Assurance Agricole Indicielle en Côte d’Ivoire (DAAI-CI), took place at the Prefecture of San Pedro.
A vast compensation operation has been carried out for insured rice growers who have suffered losses. Thanks to the mobilisation of insurers and their partners, this initiative marks a significant step forward in securing the agricultural sector in Côte d’Ivoire.
Insured farmers who suffered losses due to climatic hazards have been officially compensated. This initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Fédération des producteurs de riz de Côte d’Ivoire, African Risk Capacity (ARC) Limited and national and international partners, has strengthened the financial security of affected producers.
Lucien Bouafon, Assistant Director of Company Control at the Insurance Department, emphasised:
“Today, you have proof of a payment of a certain amount, which will enable each of you to restart your farming activity”.
A total of 44,158 rice growers were insured and 20,714 received compensation from the program in 2024. An envelope of 299,656,085 F CFA was distributed to 93 agricultural cooperatives across the country, in the 09 poles of Bouna, Bondoukou, Man, Gagnoa, San Pedro, Odienné, Korhogo, Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, which are among the areas that received significant assistance. This compensation aims to support the revival of agricultural activities, preserve the livelihoods of smallholders and ensure greater resilience in the face of climatic risks.
The pool of insurers (AXA, SanlamAllianz and Atlantique Assurances) involved in this program paid compensation to policyholders throughout the country.
Dr FRY Kouamé André, Deputy Cabinet Director of MEMINADERPV, added:
“I remain convinced that the results of this project will enable us to achieve actions of national impact for the benefit of our brave producers”.
But beyond compensation, the DAAI-CI program stands out for its innovative approach. It is based on the introduction of index-based agricultural insurance as an agricultural input, in the same way as seeds or fertilizers. Thanks to a personalized “service card”, each rice farmer is identified and has easier access to financial products such as insurance and credit. The program also aims to strengthen financial training and knowledge of climate-smart farming practices, helping to boost farmers’ resilience.
Index-based agricultural insurance, on which this system is based, is an essential lever for protecting producers against weather fluctuations. Based on objective climatic indices, it enables compensation to be triggered quickly and transparently.
Issaka Coulibaly, National President of FUSCOP RIZ CI “COOP CA”, said:
“Index insurance was initiated in 2021 on the instruction of FUSCOP to help producers achieve their objectives to cope with the effects of climate change”.
Alberto Nicoli, WFP representative, mentioned:
“Agricultural insurance is an essential safety net. When disaster strikes, it enables farmers to recover quickly and secure their next campaign”.
This initiative is led by ARC Ltd, in collaboration with the Direction des Assurances en Côte d’Ivoire, FUSCOP RIZ CI “COOP CA”, CASAI, MINEDDTE, MEMINADER, WFP, UNDP, AXA Côte d’Ivoire, Atlantique Assurance vie et non vie, SanlamAllianz, Sarmap, Agence nationale d’appui au développement rural (ANADER), SODEXAM, FIRCA and GHSA. It benefits from funding from the InsuResilience Solutions Fund (ISF) and Swiss Cooperation (SDC), enabling ambitious scaling-up of the program over the 2024-2025 period.
Dr. Annette Detken, Head of ISF, cited:
“As the climate crisis continues to reshape agricultural landscapes, it is crucial to offer farmers reliable means to protect their livelihoods. This innovative approach to index-based insurance not only provides immediate relief to those affected but also empowers farmers with the knowledge and resources needed to withstand climate shocks. The ISF is proud to support this effort, which aligns with our mission to enable sustainable climate risk financing solutions for vulnerable communities”.
After a successful pilot phase in the west of Côte d’Ivoire with WFP Côte d’Ivoire, the program rapidly gained momentum, identifying and securing 44,158 producers by 2024. It is now targeting 125,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2025.
This operation testifies to the commitment of insurance players to providing sustainable support for the agricultural sector and offering farmers solutions tailored to the climatic challenges they face.
Zeynab Cisse, representative of ARC Ltd., added:
“This index-based agricultural insurance, based on climate data, represents a sustainable solution for securing producers’ incomes, strengthening agricultural resilience and contributing to food security”.
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