Animal Insurance

Farmers in rural areas of Parbat have started insuring their animals to reduce the impact of risks associated with animal rearing. Local Development Fund, Parbat, introduced the animal insurance scheme in rural areas of Salija and Arther VDCs as a pilot project. The fund said the concept is new to farmers and it is hard to convince them to insure animals. In Salija, 75 buffaloes have been insured and more applications have come for insurance. Livestock Insurance Committee charges the farmers five per cent premium and pays up to 80 per cent of the price of a healthy animal in case of sudden, accidental death. With the insurance scheme coming into operation, farmers have started taking proper care of their animals. They now take the animals for health check-up every six months. In Arther VDC, 50 goats have been insured. However, the scheme faced hurdles after four insured goats died and the committee ran out of money to pay the insurance amount.