EDITOR — THE recent sad story of provincial war veteran chairperson, Cde Sam Parirenyatwa, who lost about four hectares of wheat to fire at his Danbury Farm along old Mazowe Road has made me think agricultural insurance.

The farmer and many more who experience such losses might not recover from their loses. 

Thus, agriculture insurance becomes very important in managing these losses.

There are three broad classes of agricultural insurance and these are animal agricultural insurance, crop agricultural insurance and farm property and equipment agricultural insurance.

Agricultural Insurance is a policy which involves the insured farmer paying a premium, usually in percentage, to an insurance company to guarantee against loss due to any of the perils covered for a particular period of time.

Agricultural producers, including farmers, ranchers and others must protect against either the loss of their crops due to natural disasters or the loss of revenue due to declines in the prices of agricultural commodities.

Who can tell the amount of challenges that may be experienced in a world that is experiencing erratic seasons due to climate change and recklessness of some who are being slow in learning about the dangers of veld fires. 

Crop insurance is the way to go, considering cyclonic rains, floods, droughts or fires. 

Agriculture cannot be left exposed to uncertainties, hence some form of insurance is imperative.

 Chakandiwana Moyo.

Harare.