An Asian Development Bank-funded weather-based index crop insurance is set to roll out in three districts vulnerable to crop losses during heavy rainfall or drought. Farmers of 20 upazilas of three districts -- Rajshahi, Sirajganj and Noakhali -- will be brought under it. "We're expecting to launch the pilot project from June next as we've already got required permission to install weather-related equipment on rooftops of the 20 upazila buildings owned by the local government division," said Wasi Ul Hoque, project director at the Weather Index-Based Crop Insurance, or WIBCI, at the Sadharan Bima Corporation (SBC). He said it will require at least two months more to install the equipment relating to measure the magnitudes of rainfall or drought. The farmers of the three districts will pay premiums to the SBC which will provide compensation on the basis of results of the weather stations. Farmers in the country are at the mercy of weather as they are helpless during natural disasters. The project has targeted small and marginal farmers who are most vulnerable and suffer seriously when weather turns hostile. More frequent droughts, more intense flooding, and more regular storms take a heavy toll on farmers. Cyclone Sidr, which hit Bangladesh in 2007, for example, destroyed about 95 per cent of crops in coastal districts. Farmers of the Sidr-affected areas were not able to protect themselves as traditional insurers could not find a suitable way of reaching the small and marginal farmers or evolving crop insurance suitable for them in remote areas. Most of the victims do not know how to protect themselves. They in most cases do not have any collateral to offer. However, the ADB thought, the project piloted in selected parts of Bangladesh, if turns out to be successful, could gradually be replicated countrywide. The project is set to end in June next but is expected to be extended by one year. Neighbouring India and all advanced countries including the USA have similar weather index-based crop insurance. The ADB and the SBC undertook the move to launch crop insurance in 2013. The Bank is funding major part, worth Tk 160 million, while the government will give nearly Tk 50 million. It is believed that about half of Bangladesh's workforce is engaged in agriculture but around 75 per cent of the total population and 80 per cent of the country's poor -- live in rural areas and depend on agriculture in one way or another. Source - thefinancialexpress-bd.com