Conference on New Directions for Smallholder Agriculture

1. Conference on New Directions for Smallholder Agriculture Nahu-Senaye Araya, CEO, Nyala Insurances The Ethiopian Experience On Micro Insurance Session 5, Breakout Session 11

2. Presentation Headings: I. PROFILE: Country & Financial Institutions II. NYALA’S EXPERIENCE A. MPCI B. WICI III. LEASON LEARNT IV. RECOMMENDATION V. CONTACTS We Care We Protect

3. Profile A1. Country Profile • Population: 85 mln. (UN 2010) – 83% Rural • Area: 1.13 mln. Sq. kms. • Life Expectancy: 56 years (Male) 59 years (Female) • GNP per capita: US $ 330 (WB 2009) • Main Export: Coffee, Hides, Oil Seeds, Flower • Main Food Crops: Wheat, Barley, Maize, Teff • Gov. Dev. Agents on Food Crops: 67,000 We Care We Protect

4. A2. PROFILE Financial Institutions & Nyala’s • No. of Commercial Banks: 14 (3 Gov’t. 11 PVT.). • No. of Micro Finance: 30 • No. of Insurance Companies: 12 (1 Gov’t + 11 Pvt) • Only one in Micro Insurance: Nyala • Nyala Insurance: - Small sized company - Turnover: About US 10.0ml. - Manpower: 270 - Activities: General, life and Micro Insurance (Crop, Livestock, Life) We Care We Protect

5. II. nyala’s experience delivery channel POLICY HOLDER CLAIMANT PAYMENT STATEMENT CERTIFICATE HOLDER We Care We Protect

6. B. nyala’s Experience: 2007 to date:- B1. Multiperil Crop Insurance (MPCI) – Crop Yield, Flood, etc We Care We Protect

7. B2 . Weather Index Crop Insurance (WICI) – Covers Drought Only) We Care We Protect

8. B3. COMBINED MPCI & WICI- 2007 TO 2010 We Care We Protect

9. B3. Associates: Financial & Technical Assistance (Past & Future) National: • Commercial Banks (Dashen Bank) • Association of Micro Finance • Micro Finance • National Metrology Authority • Ministry of Agriculture • Co-ops & Unions International: IFPRI, FAO, OXFAM AMERICA, ILO, WB, SWISS-RE

10. Lessons Learnt A1. FARMERS’ SIDE • Farmers with no expectation show great interest - Minimize the mental & physical pressure coming from Creditors - Use of Insurance policy as collateral improves their bankability - Improve their negotiating power with Creditors • Cooperatives/Union willing & capable to act as policy holders on their members behalf.

11. Cont. • Draw Backs - Lack of awareness - Affordability of premium - Questions insurers’ motive • Insurance products so far introduced not fully meet their needs ( Livestock/Health/Life ? )

12. A2. Insurers’ Side • Lack adequate/reliable data to ensure quantity product design/costing • Costing not actuarian derived - Unknown risks entail high premium - Major & reliable re-insurers show little or no interest • Have low human & infrastructure capacity - Inadequate field visits - Minimal training to own staff & farmers/union officials/Gov’t Dev. Agents

13. A3. Government Side • No. Regulation for Micro Insurance yet • MI & MF activities not integrated in the food security strategy • Created uneven competitive ground for financial players. - MF income tax exempted - MF’s credit collection more or less enforcable by government • Development Agents not being used as financial educators of farmers

14. D. DONOR'S Side • Spend too much time and money on pre studies/research • Obssesed with paper work • Give less emphasis on human & infrastructure capacity building • Promote short term year- to- year programe. • Need to revisit capability & acceptabilty of their staff

15. IV. RECOMMENDATION ( Ethiopian context ) TO BE ENHANCED AND OR INTRODUCED BY THE MAJOR PLAYERS)

16. A1. ALL MAJOR PLAYERS (Government, Insurers, Donors, and Banks) • STEP UP CUSTOMER’S EDUCATION AND TRAINING • MAKE THE LIVELYHOOD OF THE FARMER THE FOCAL POINT FOR ALL MI AND MF PROGRAMES • HELP THE FARMER FROM THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PRESSURE COMING FROM THE MF AND INPUT SUPLIERS. • FORCED TO PAY HIGH INTEREST RATE • (OVER 2.5 TIMES COMMERCIAL RATE) • FORCED TO JOIN THE “G5 LOAN GUARANTEE” SYSTEM

17. A2. GOVERNMENT: • INTRODUCE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR MICRO INSURANCE • LEGALIZE COMMERCIAL BANKS AND INSURERS TO INCLUDE MI AND MF BUSINESS IN THEIR PORTFOLIO • CREAT LEVEL GROUND FOR ALL PLAYERS TO AVTIVELY INVOLVE IN MI AND MF AREA. • USE GOV’T DEVELOPMENT AGENTS AS FIELD FINANCIAL TRAINERS AS WELL • INCORPORATE MI AND MF ACTIVITIES IN THE FOOD SECURITY STRATEGY

18. A3. INTERNATIONAL DONORS: • MINIMIZE THE TIME AND MONEY SPENT ON PRE STUDY/RESEARCH. • CONSIDER A 3 TO 5 YEAR PROGRM (NOT YEAR 2 YEAR) WITH DIMINISHING SUBSIDY AMONT TO FARMERS OVER THE PERIOD • GIVE PRIORITY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STAFF OF INSURES/UNIONS/MF. • REVISIT THE CAPABILITY/ACCEPTABILITY OF OWN STAFF/CONSULTANTS.

19. A4. COMMERCIAL INSURERS: • ALWAYS WORK WITH RELIABLE RE-INSURANCE • USE CO OPS/UNIONS AS DELIVERY CHANNELS AND OR AGENTS • MAKE THE MI POLICY SIMPLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE. • SETTLE OR REPUDIATE CLAIMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE • INCLUDE MI AND MF ACTIVITIES IN THEIR BUSINESS AND INTRODUCE A MINUMUM %AGE OF MI AND MF BUSINESS IN THEIR PORTFOLIO • INTRODUCE ALWAYS HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT DESIGN AND RISK RELATED PREMUIUM

20. A5. COMMERCIAL BANKS AND CREDITORS: • ACCEPT POLICY FROM REPUTABLE INSURER AS LOAN COLLATERAL • TAKE THE BUSINESS AS SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION AND OR IMAGE BUILDING IN THE SHORT TERM WITH THE VIEW OF ITS LONG TERM BUSINESS POTENTIAL AND PROFITABILITY.

21. Contacts: • For InformationAND OR Assistance on Micro Insurance IN ETHIOPIA Mr. Eyob Meherette CEO, Nyala Insurance S.C. Email: eyobm@nyalainsurance.comeyobm@nyalainsurancesc.com Tel: + 251 911 20 73 91 Fax: + 251 116 62 67 06

22. For comments/querRies on what has been presented HERE Nahu-Senaye Araya Advisor/CONSULTANT Email:yesucan.letustalk@gmail.com Tel: +251 911 20 73 89 FaX + 251 116 62 67 06

23. PLease continue helping the poor farmers Thank you