Shashya Surokkha Project brings smile to marginal farmers’ faces

Syngenta Bangladesh, Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture Bangladesh and Green Delta Insurance Company are providing a diverse insurance policy named “Shashya Surokkha Project” to marginalised farmers.

This insurance assures financial backup for the loss incurred by farmers during any natural disaster.

Eleven hundred fourty-nine potato farmers from Thakurgaon and Akkelpur sub-districts have availed the facilities of this crop insurance, reads a press release.

Due to the high humidity and less temperature which affected the last potato production in Thakurgaon Sadar triggered insurance claims to 578 farmers in amounting to Tk 52,026.

Around 350 Krishite Syngenta Retailers in the north was involved in promoting crop insurance to the farmers.

“Syngenta BD will continue partnering in innovative concepts like ‘Crop Insurance’, to facilitate the transformation from sustenance to commercial agriculture, and keep contributing to the overall economy of the country,” said A M M Golam Towhid, managing director of Syngenta about this approach.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture Bangladesh (SFSA Bangladesh) and Swiss contact are working together on the weather index insurance concept through its Crop Surokkha project.

“We believe Agriculture Insurance will be the key to attaining sustainability in the agriculture sector. And the increase in the contribution of this sector by stabilising the economy is only achievable through inclusive insurance replicated throughout the country,” said Syed Moinuddin Ahmed, additional managing director of Green Delta Insurance Company.

The chief guest of this insurance claim settlement event in Thakurgaon Sadar, Krishibid Md Abu Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension said that this crop insurance will give smallholder farmers much confidence in crop production.