Considering the multiplicity of problems and let downs Uganda's farming community is exposed to, it's now good news for them after Lion Assurance has opened up a front to ameliorate their plight. The fast growing company, and the only one doing so here, has started underwriting agricultural insurance and going by records, the cover has had a warm reception from the people engaged in the farming industry.

Essentially, the cover which is still being fine tuned to comprehensively meet the needs of the farming public as they evolve over time, provides a shock-absorbing mechanism to the people engaged in crop farming, horticulture, blood stock, aquaculture, livestock, poultry and timber growing.

It may be appreciated that engaging in those areas of farming activities exposes one to the mercy of both good and bad weather conditions, crop and animal diseases as well as other hazards against which the farmer may have little or no control a situation that leads to disaffection, loss of capital and income among other drawbacks. This is why therefore, the company's undertaking has had both government and the concerned players' support.

Kuda Jeche, the company's underwriting manager disclosed that they are steadily receiving  positive response from farmers with many of them seeking a briefing about the scope of cover of the whole package of insurance while others are taking on the insurance especially the one on livestock.

Livestock insurance provides cover for all types of farm animals and this includes death or injury to the insured stock as may be caused by lightning, fire, explosion, flood, windstorm, malicious damage, impact by road vehicles, railway locomotive, rolling stock as well as accidental electrocution, accident in transit and diseases as is defined in the company's policy document.

It's interesting to note that the above are among the ravages livestock farmers are exposed to in the course of their pre-occupation. Farmers who are doing their work on a commercial scale are the ones mainly addressed by this cover and livestock includes cattle, goats, sheep, to mention but a few.

Under the poultry insurance, cover is being provided for layer and hatchery birds in the age group of one day to 72 weeks while for broilers, the cover is for birds in the age group of one day to those of eight weeks.     

Crop insurance is a cover for all types of farm crops while horticultural insurance covers flower farming operations. Blood stock insurance is a cover for horse farms and horse breeders whereas aquaculture insurance covers fish farms and fish farming. The people who engage in timber growing on a commercial scale, and this includes eucalyptus trees, are the beneficiaries of  the growing timber insurance.

Notwithstanding the above, apart from the fact that they will have invested their money in the farming projects, the people who may take on agricultural insurance are expected to exercise responsibility and desist from negligent actions of their projects going by a confidence that after-all they are insured, observes  Nicholas Lutakome, an underwriter with Lion Assurance.

 As in all the other insurance covers, the insured will be required to implement pre-emptive measures against the possible happening of the risk insured against. In the case of livestock insurance these will include, but will not be limited to maintaining tight security measures and a regular and necessary dipping and vaccination of all animals against diseases.

A certified vet has to certify that all animals are in sound health before inception of cover and the insured must be in possession of a veterinary health certificate from a qualified veterinarian. The farm should follow standard packages of practices, a vaccination schedule, de-worming, de-beaking the animals/birds and the farm should maintain essential records pertaining to the insured business.