To reduce the effects of climate change on crops, the Monsanto Zambia Limited has provided farmers with a crop insurance product available in Zambian market called “DK Chilala”, a way of assisting farmers to protect their crops against unforeseen drought.
According to Mr. Monsanto Zambia regional sales manager for Central, Copper belt and North-western provinces Davison Silungwe, who disclosed details of the DK Chilala insurance product, he said that the company has tested the product on all it hybrids, indicating that the product can be trusted.
“When farmers buy seed from a certified dealer, and after it is planted and it doesn’t rain the farmers have difficulties in accessing seed again and they end up recycling commercial grain as seed.
“This is why we have decided to come up with this product to help farmers access certified seed again from us so that they can replant and have good crop establishment and assured crop productivity,” Mr. Silungwe said.
“Farmers are going to be sensitised to buy only Monsanto products that have an insurance label anything minus that the farmers should not buy and this is also a social responsibility for the company as farmers can now plant their crop with the peace of mind knowing that it is insured,” he said.
He also said that the company would be on constant guard, observing the rain pattern across the country using satellite data.
Therefore, if after 21 days of cultivation, the farmers don’t receive sufficient rainfall they will be authorized through a message to get the seed from any renowned nearest DK stockiest.
