A TOTAL of 226 farmers in Negros Occidental received on Thursday, August 16, a total amount of P2,128,620 as crop insurance indemnity from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., in partnership with the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP).
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said that for seven years, the provincial government has provided total funds of P24,414,202 to cover the rice, corn, high-value crops and sugarcane.
As of July 30, 30,499 farmers with 33,871.12 hectares have been insured.
Of the total enrolled, 15,455 farmers had received indemnity claims in the amount of P72,854,426 for 16,848.13 hectares damaged corn, rice, and high-value crops.
The NFUCIP in partnership with PCIC has been providing insurance services to the farmers of Negros Occidental since August 5, 2011.
The program was initiated to address the gaps in the agricultural sector and climate change that have been adversely affecting the rice production and threatening the state of food security in the province.
Also on Wednesday, the Provincial Government represented by Marañon and the PCIC signed a memorandum of agreement for the insurance coverage of all agriculture and fishery projects of the province.
Marañon said he discovered on Wednesday that about 30 percent of the farmers are covered by the crop insurance.
He said they have been encouraging the farmers to enroll because they have no expense from the program as the premiums are paid by the provincial government.
He also encouraged the farmers as well as the fisherfolks to enroll in the life insurance offered by the PCIC and the province under the program which will entitle their legal family P50,000 covering natural and accidental death for one-year coverage.