By Seif Gracien Hasingizwimana
In recent years, greenhouse farmers in Rwanda operated without adequate insurance coverage, leaving them vulnerable to severe financial losses caused by strong winds, torrential rains, pests, and extreme temperatures. Today, this gap has been effectively bridged through the expansion of the government’s agricultural and livestock insurance program, “TEKANA Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi”, which now officially includes greenhouse farming.
This initiative represents Rwanda’s strategic intervention to enhance climate change resilience within the agricultural sector, particularly for farmers who have heavily invested in greenhouse technology to boost productivity.
Joseph Museruka, the TEKANA Project Coordinator at the RAB-SPIU, noted that greenhouse farmers had previously been left behind, suffering catastrophic losses due to various factors. However, the value of their agricultural output in Rwanda is now steadily rising.
He stated, “The insurance package targeting greenhouse farming was officially launched on May 7. It has brought tangible transformation. Farmers have been facing diverse forms of damage, including heavy winds that blow off greenhouse roofs along with the crops inside, torrential rains that damage the physical structures, pests that infiltrate compromised structures, or scorching solar radiation that burns crops when ventilation systems fail. All these risks are now covered. If a disaster strikes, farmers will no longer face long delays; assistance will reach them promptly.”
Museruka explained that introducing insurance for greenhouse fruits and vegetables ensures that farmers no longer bear the entire financial burden of losses alone when disasters occur. Under this scheme, farmers pay 60 percent (60%) of the insurance premium, while the government subsidizes the remaining 40 percent (40%).
He further emphasized that before the expansion of TEKANA, some greenhouse farmers had no choice but to endure and personally absorb 100 percent (100%) of the financial losses resulting from climate hazards.
“Some farmers previouMuseruka explained that introducing insurance for greenhouse fruits and vegetables ensures that farmers no longer bear the entire financial burden of losses alone when disasters occur. Under this scheme, farmers pay 60 percent (60%) of the insurance premium, while the government subsidizes the remaining 40 percent (40%).sly carried the heavy burden of insuring 100% of their losses because there was no tailored insurance framework to support them. Within TEKANA, that burden is now shared: the farmer contributes 60% of the premium value, and the government steps in with a subsidy of up to 40%.”
For Jean Paul Kubwimana, a vegetable farmer residing in Gacaca Cell, Rubengera Sector of Karongi District, this new insurance scheme has injected much-needed hope after years of recurring, weather-induced losses.
“TEKANA has come at the right time. We have faced climate-related losses more times than I can count. For the first time, I feel confident that we will not continue wasting money or paying for full insurance out-of-pocket only to end up with nothing.”
Kubwimana recounted how fierce winds and torrential rains were among the primary threats to his farming enterprise, causing extensive damage across different seasons.
“I lost everything when a violent windstorm ripped off the roof of my greenhouse structure. Once the walls collapsed, the direct sunlight instantly scorched the crops. This happened during the last farming season when I had chili seedlings. They withered and turned white immediately, looking as though they had been scalded by boiling water.”
Reflecting on the past, the farmer stated that these losses left him in severe economic hardship and poverty, largely because the existing insurance policies only covered the physical greenhouse structure but excluded the crops inside.
“What pleases us as greenhouse farmers about TEKANA is that it insures both the structure and the crops simultaneously, with the government subsidizing up to 40%. In previous insurance models, you paid 100% of the premium value, yet your crops remained unprotected. I lost two full seasonal harvests and received absolutely no compensation, except for the greenhouse equipment.”
His ordeal mirrors the reality faced by many greenhouse farmers across the country—many of whom invested heavily in modern farming practices but remained highly vulnerable to adverse weather due to a lack of comprehensive insurance.
The expansion of TEKANA comes at a critical time when climate-related risks continue to threaten agricultural productivity in Rwanda. By extending this insurance to greenhouse farming, policymakers and strategists aim to stimulate increased investment in modern agriculture while mitigating financial risks for farmers.
Museruka added that this insurance program is already yielding significant results nationwide and continues to support hundreds of thousands of farmers annually.
“Every year, over 200,000 eligible farmers receive subsidies under the TEKANA Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi scheme. The government covers 40% of the subsidy cost, while the farmer or livestock keeper contributes the remaining 60%.”
A total of 9,392,461,332 Rwandan Francs has been paid out in compensation since the inception of the program. Crop farmers received 5,260,214,761 Rwandan Francs, while livestock keepers were compensated with 4,132,246,571 Rwandan Francs. Additionally, the government has provided subsidies amounting to 7,025,436,179.20 Rwandan Francs to support citizens’ participation in this initiative.
As Rwanda continues to promote climate-resilient agriculture, greenhouse farmers who enroll in the TEKANA Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi scheme are expected to be shielded from financial shocks, enabling them to safely optimize their yields and protect their crops from total loss.
The TEKANA Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi program, implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, continues to demonstrate its role in protecting farmers and livestock keepers from losses resulting from disasters and in increasing agricultural and livestock production, particularly in regions frequently affected by climate change like Karongi and Rutsiro.
In this program, coverage is provided for dairy cows, bulls, pigs, chickens, and fish, and it insures the life of the animal, where compensation is paid if it dies, allowing livestock keepers to be compensated when their animals face a problem.
This is while a livestock keeper seeking insurance approaches the nearest branch of an insurance company, where they can also approach any sector vet or any private vet to connect them with insurance companies, or call the toll-free number 4127.
Insurance for all livestock begins counting from the day the livestock keeper pays the insurance cost, and it has a waiting period of 14 days, but if the animal is affected by an accident within those days, the livestock keeper is compensated.
