THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on July 10 aims to improve its crop insurance policy, especially with the El Niño phenomenon in full swing.DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella 3rd said they are working doubly hard to address weak spots in the policy to help farmers recover from losses due to natural calamities.Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella 3rd. Screengrab from House of Representatives The department's support services office staff went to various parts of the country to conduct experience-sharing sessions for the agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) to be developed as agri-insurance underwriters or solicitors.'This knowledge and experience sharing cum learning session will greatly help to further improve our crop insurance program and make it responsive to the needs of our beneficiaries,' said Estrella.He added that there is a need to determine the gaps in the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries-Agricultural Insurance Program (ARB-AIP) that require immediate attention.'The knowledge and experience sharing cum learning session will help the DAR adopt some measures to mitigate the impact of the El Niño phenomenon on the lives of our ARBs and to their livelihood,' said Estrella.The Agrarian Reform chief also emphasized that the department has provided a platform and opportunity for ARBOs to share their best practices as accredited insurance underwriters with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).The PCIC's principal mandate is to provide insurance protection to farmers against losses arising from natural calamities, plant diseases and pest infestations of their crops.It also provides protection against damage to non-crop agricultural assets such as machineries, equipment, transport facilities and other related infrastructures.'The insurance coverage is not limited to damaged crops but also the lives and limbs of insured farmers and members of their families,' said the DAR.Estrella also encouraged all ARBs to register in the DA's database system to avail of the crop insurance program the DAR and DA are pursuing in partnership with the PCIC.
