The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Association of Tanzania Insurers, has launched a new Technical Assistance initiative to strengthen agricultural insurance in Tanzania. The support will be delivered through the Tanzania Agricultural Insurance Consortium (TAIC) under the Financial Resilience in Agriculture Initiative.The initiative aims to build a well-functioning agricultural insurance market through institutionalization and ecosystem development, with a strong focus on strengthening in-country capacity across data systems, product design, risk modelling, underwriting, and policy alignment.Its overall goal is to foster a stronger, more inclusive, and competitive agricultural insurance market in Tanzania.

At its core, the programme aims to strengthen local capacity and build sustainable systems that enable Tanzanian institutions to design, deliver, and scale agricultural insurance solutions. This includes enhancing both technical and operational capabilities to drive product innovation, supported by sustainable partnerships across the ecosystem.

The Technical Assistance will concentrate on four key areas:
• Building a national shared vision – Developing sustainable business models for risk sharing, identifying opportunities to mobilize public–private partnership (PPP) delivery, and strengthening data and risk infrastructure.
• Building technical capacity – Enhancing skills and knowledge for agricultural insurance product development.
• Establishing long-term technical service partnerships – Creating durable collaborations to support continuous innovation and market development anchored on a shared business case.
• Improving operational governance and sustainability – Strengthening institutional frameworks to ensure resilient and efficient operations.

Speaking at the launch, UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Shigeki Komatsubara reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Tanzania’s agricultural insurance ecosystem. “UNDP is committed to helping build the foundations that TAIC and the wider ecosystem need to grow sustainably. This includes stronger data and risk infrastructure, enhanced technical capacity, structured technical partnerships, and improved governance systems,” he said. He added that the initiative will also support TAIC in developing a viable business and operational model to ensure long-term sustainability and value for the market.

The partnership will also help improve partnerships and access to historical farm-level data,centralized digital data platform, and introduce data-sharing protocols. In addition, it will strengthen technical skills through tailored training and tools, while embedding technical services within TAIC through structured partnerships and gradual localization.

The initiative will further support the development of TAIC’s business strategy, sustainability framework, and cost-sharing model to ensure its long-term success. Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the Association of Tanzania Insurers, Mr Jared Awando stated “Today’s event represents both a milestone in our partnership and a strategic moment for advancing agricultural insurance in Tanzania. It lays the These efforts being made lay the foundation for a shared vision that emphasises inclusivity, collaboration, and sustainability in building a resilient agriculture insurance”. 

“The Financial Resilience in Agriculture Initiative (FRA) is a project of UNDP’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF) implemented in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). Working with public and private partners in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, UNDP is bolstering the financial resilience and adaptation capacities of smallholder farmers against climate-related adversities through the design and implementation of innovative agricultural insurance programmes, anchored within a broader development agenda.  Through the FRA global platform, which acts as a platform for knowledge and resource mobilization, UNDP offers technical and engagement support to other countries around the world”.

Source - https://www.undp.org