Insurance push brings new hope to disaster-hit Bajhang farmers

In the rugged terrain of Bajhang, a remote mountain district in Nepal's far-west, farmers have long grappled with the relentless cycle of agricultural losses stemming from natural disasters and an alarming rise in new crop diseases. This region, identified as the second least developed in Sudurpaschim province, faces compounded risks that threaten its largely subsistence-based farming economy.

However, a beacon of hope has emerged with the introduction of agricultural insurance services, signaling a transformative approach to managing the inherent risks in Bajhang's agricultural sector. Data from the National Statistics Office underscores the vulnerability of high-altitude farming, revealing that mountain regions like Bajhang experience the highest incidence of new crop diseases, significantly outpacing the hills and the Tarai.

The District Agriculture Knowledge Centre is spearheading a crucial campaign to expand insurance coverage across Bajhang. In collaboration with the National Insurance Company Limited, 25 insurance agents have been trained to reach out to farmers. This initiative is particularly vital as, historically, while livestock insurance saw some uptake, crop and medicinal herb insurance—cornerstones of the local economy—remained virtually non-existent.

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Crops and medicinal herbs have not been insured so far because farmers were not informed about the benefits. The trained agents will now reach out to farmers and encourage wider participation.

Janak Bahadur Singh, chief of the centre, identified low awareness as the primary barrier to previous insurance adoption. "Crops and medicinal herbs have not been insured so far because farmers were not informed about the benefits," he explained. The newly trained agents will now play a pivotal role in educating farmers and encouraging participation.

A key policy shift accompanying this campaign is the mandatory insurance requirement for farmers who receive government subsidies. This measure aims to ensure a baseline level of risk protection for those benefiting from state support, while agents will also actively promote voluntary enrollment among other farmers. From the perspective of the Kathmandu Post, this initiative represents a critical step towards building resilience in vulnerable agricultural communities, offering a much-needed safety net against the unpredictable challenges of climate change and emerging biological threats.

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We are making insurance mandatory for subsidy recipients. At the same time, agents will also encourage farmers outside the subsidy system to enroll voluntarily.