Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 29, 2008 News
…as torrential rainfall continues
In light of the excessive rainfall being experienced, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud says that the need for crop insurance is greater.
According to him, it would serve as some comfort to farmers as it relates to the risk of losses to floods.
He added that the ministry has contacted the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with a request for them to look at a suitable crop insurance strategy for Guyana as part of its Disaster Preparedness Plan.
Crop insurance is intended to offer some level of security and compensation to farmers in light of a natural catastrophe.
It is purchased by agricultural producers, including farmers, ranchers, and others, to protect against either the loss of their crops due to natural disasters, such as hale, drought, and floods, or the loss of revenue due to decline in the prices of agricultural commodities. The two general categories of crop insurance are crop-yield insurance and crop-revenue insurance.
Minister Persaud said earlier in the year that, given the most recent reports of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which outlines changes in the frequency, spatial distribution and magnitude of a number of climatic conditions, extremes and weather events likely to occur in coming decades, the Government feels that crop insurance is critically needed.
He added that crop insurance is essential, since the risks posed in agriculture, such as constant flooding, continuous rising of sea levels, and other effects of adverse weather conditions, are all manifestations of climate change.
“We also have to look at the hardship experienced by some of the farmers, who can see a reduction of their exposure through crop insurance.”
According to Minister Persaud, natural disasters, like flooding, hit hard and may cause heavy losses to farmers.
Insurance, he noted, can assist in managing these losses, and crop insurance is that branch of the financial mechanism that is especially geared to cover losses from adverse weather and similar events beyond the control of growers.
“In any business arrangement, both sides of the transaction must expect to benefit. Crop insurance transactions are no different.”
He noted that crop insurance is sold and bought in a market. “The purchasers must perceive that the premiums and expected benefits offer value. The sellers must see opportunities for a positive actuarial outcome overtime, and profit.”
“Crop insurance is therefore important if feasible, given the vulnerability of farmers’ investment in crops on a small, medium and large scale,” the minister asserted.
“This is long needed in the region, and moreso Guyana, if we are going to ensure food security.”
Given that crop insurance has been discussed for at least the last 15 years, Minister Persaud said, what is preventing the implementation is the lack of boldness by the respective financial institutions.
He added that, given that Guyana is a developing country with emerging capital and insurance markets across regions, the development of crop insurance is linked to the availability of funds from a macro-perspective, with Government facilitating the development of this market.
However, it is a challenge for the private sector to pursue such insurance on a large scale basis, as various premiums depend on the associated risks, according to Minister Persaud.
On the issue of flooding, Minister Persaud also said that he sees no threat to food security, but the situation is being continuously monitored.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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