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By Christophe Uwizeyimana
Nyagatare District, one of Rwanda’s 30 districts, stands out as a major hub for both agriculture and livestock farming. However, the district often faces challenges caused by prolonged drought, floods, livestock diseases, and other factors that negatively affect productivity.
During a recent awareness campaign on the “Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi” insurance scheme, many farmers especially youth expressed their commitment to enrolling in the program to prevent future losses, as most of them previously operated without any form of insurance.
Youth Farmers Embrace Agricultural Insurance
Faustin Nsengiyumva, a maize farmer from Bukire Village, Rugarama Cell in Mukama Sector, said he has frequently incurred losses due to drought. After attending the awareness session on the Tekana program, he said he now understands the importance of agricultural insurance.
“I didn’t know about this program before,” Nsengiyumva said. “After attending the discussions on Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi, I realized that farmers can actually be compensated for their losses. As a young farmer, I’m very excited. I’m going to register immediately, and I’ll also share this information with other young farmers who had lost hope due to recurring crop failures.”
Similarly, Pascal Manishimwe, another young farmer from Mukama Sector, welcomed the initiative, saying it would help youth-led farming cooperatives like his to recover from climate-related shocks.
“We run a youth farmers’ cooperative, but we often face losses due to drought or heavy rains,” Manishimwe said. “Some older farmers who joined the Tekana program earlier encouraged us to do the same, explaining that it provides real security for farmers. We are now planning to register our crops for insurance so that if disasters strike, we can recover our investment and continue farming.”
Experienced Farmers Already Benefiting
Older farmers in the district who joined the scheme earlier confirm its effectiveness. Gilbert Niyonshuti, Vice President of KODREVAM Cooperative, which cultivates rice on over 430 hectares across four sectors; Rukomo, Mukama, Mimuri, and Nyagatare said that before joining the insurance program, floods would destroy their rice fields, causing huge losses.
“Before insurance, we would lose everything to floods and struggle to restart,” Niyonshuti said. “Now we get compensated and continue farming without setbacks. Over 1,350 members in our cooperative are now fully insured and confident in their farming.”
Farmers in Nyagatare note that while most insured crops are grown in cooperatives such as rice in marshlands individual farmers growing crops like maize on hillsides are also beginning to join after seeing the benefits.
District Leadership Encourages More Enrollment
Nyagatare’s Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Mr. MATSIKO Gonzague, said the district continues to raise awareness so that every farmer and livestock keeper joins the Tekana program.
“We don’t want any resident to lose crops or animals due to climate shocks without help,” Matsiko said. “Both crop and livestock farmers should embrace professional agriculture by taking insurance. The government even provides a 40% subsidy, so there is no reason to remain uninsured. Agricultural insurance is the key to a secure and resilient farming sector.”
According to the district’s current statistics for Season A 2026, insurance coverage in Nyagatare stands as follows:
- Crops:
- Maize: 1,560 ha insured out of 2,400 ha
- Rice: 2,106.5 ha insured out of 2,096 ha planned
- Beans: 50 ha planned
- Soya: 38.3 ha insured
- Fresh beans: 4.5 ha insured
- Chili: 50 ha planned
- Livestock:
- Cattle: 1,025 insured out of 5,200
- Poultry: 200 insured out of 1,110
- Pigs: 42 insured out of 155
District authorities say insured farmers are better protected from losses, enabling them to recover faster and sustain productivity.
Government Commitment to Climate-Resilient Agriculture
The Government of Rwanda remains committed to helping farmers cope with climate change impacts and improve access to agricultural credit from 6% to 10% by 2029 as outlined in the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
Under the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS), the government covers 40% of the insurance premium, while farmers and livestock keepers contribute the remaining 60%. Currently, the scheme covers eight key crops rice, maize, Irish potatoes, cassava, soya, beans, French beans, and chili as well as livestock such as cattle, poultry, pigs, and fish.
Each year, approximately 189,734 farmers and livestock keepers benefit from the program, representing about 6% of all farmers nationwide. So far, over Frw 8.19 billion has been paid out as compensation for losses caused by disasters and climate change Frw 3.57 billion in livestock insurance and Frw 4.62 billion in crop insurance. The government has already invested nearly Frw 5.95 billion to support insurance subsidies, with plans to expand coverage further.
Mobilization Across Eastern Province
In preparation for Season A 2026, and to further increase farmers’ participation in the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme, the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) through its Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) conducted an intensive awareness and mobilization campaign from October 20–24, 2025 across districts of the Eastern Province.
The campaign aims to encourage farmers and livestock keepers to ensure their agricultural activities under the NAIS, ensuring their livelihoods are protected from climate and production risks. Farmers in Nyagatare and neighboring districts have responded positively, marking a growing commitment to building a resilient and secure agricultural sector.
Photos:
Photo: Faustin Nsengiyumva, a young maize farmer from Bukire Village in Nyagatare District, says he is ready to join the “Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi” insurance program after learning that farmers can be compensated for losses caused by drought and other climate shocks.
Photo: Pascal Manishimwe, a young farmer from Mukama Sector in Nyagatare District, says the Tekana insurance program will help youth farming cooperatives recover from droughts and floods, ensuring their agricultural investments remain secure.
Photo:Farmers in Nyagatare District who joined the Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi insurance program earlier say they are already benefiting, as the scheme compensates them for losses caused by floods, drought, and livestock diseases, helping them continue farming without setbacks.
Photo:Gilbert Niyonshuti, Vice President of KODREVAM Cooperative in Nyagatare District, says floods once destroyed their rice fields, but since joining the Tekana insurance program, over 1,350 cooperative members now receive compensation and farm with confidence.
Photo:Mobilization is key to ensuring every farmer and livestock keeper joins the Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi insurance program, a vital step toward building a secure and resilient farming sector.
Photo:Nyagatare District Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Mr. Matsiko Gonzague, urges farmers and livestock keepers to join the Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi insurance program, emphasizing that the government’s 40% subsidy makes agricultural insurance an essential tool for resilience and security.
Photo:Mobilization campaigns in Eastern Province are expected to boost farmers’ participation in the Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi insurance program, helping more farmers safeguard their livelihoods against climate-related losses.
