On September 1-2, the African Insurance Organisation (AIO), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank Group's Global Inclusive Insurance Facility (GIIF), convened a capacity-building seminar on agricultural and climate insurance in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brought together over 50 insurance professionals from 11 African countries, including representatives from insurance companies, regulators, brokers, and other industry stakeholders.

The seminar is part of phase 1 of the African Capacity Building and Development for Agricultural and Climate Insurance Program led by GIIF and represents the second cohort of AIO and GIIF's collaboration which launched in September 2025 with funding support from the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Opening the seminar, Jean Baptiste Ntukamazina, Secretary-General of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO), Gillian Rogers, Principal Country Officer for Kenya at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Hazel King'ori, representing the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI), each extended a warm welcome to participants and underscored the importance of continued investment in technical capacity-building across Africa's insurance sector.

In their remarks, they highlighted the critical role that agricultural and climate insurance can play in strengthening resilience among farmers and small businesses facing increasing climate-related risks, while emphasizing the need for innovative, affordable, and inclusive insurance solutions tailored to the unique needs of underserved communities. The speakers also noted that partnerships such as the AIO-GIIF collaboration are instrumental in equipping industry stakeholders with the knowledge and skills needed to expand access to sustainable risk protection across the continent.

Photo: Gillian Rogers, Principal Country Officer, Kenya, IFC (R) and Jean Baptiste Ntukamazina, Secretary-General, AIO (L)

The seminar's technical sessions began with a kickoff presentation by Sharon Onyango, Inclusive Insurance Specialist and Program Lead at IFC, who provided participants with an overview of IFC's agriculture insurance strategy and the World Bank Group's AgriConnect initiative - designed to help 300 million smallholder farmers move from subsistence farming to commercial success. Sharon highlighted how AgriConnect seeks to strengthen agricultural value chains by expanding access to finance, markets, technology, and risk management solutions for farmers and agribusinesses across emerging markets.

Insurance is a core pillar of the initiative, enhancing the ability of farmers and agri-businesses to manage production amid climate-related vulnerability, improving financial resilience, and unlocking greater private investment into the sector. The session set the stage for subsequent discussions by demonstrating how insurance, alongside broader agricultural development efforts, can contribute to stronger and more climate-resilient agri-food systems across Africa.

Photo: Sharon Onyango, Inclusive Insurance Specialist and Program Lead, IFC 

As the seminar concluded, participants were encouraged to translate the knowledge and insights gained into practical action within their respective organizations and markets. Resilient and commercially sustainable agricultural insurance markets require not only technical expertise, but also a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning across the insurance ecosystem. By applying the tools, approaches, and lessons shared during the seminar, participants can play an important role in expanding access to affordable, inclusive, and sustainable insurance solutions that help farmers and small agri-businesses better manage climate and other risks. The event reinforced the value of ongoing partnership and peer learning in advancing agricultural and climate insurance across Africa and supporting more resilient rural economies.