TIMB Urges Zimbabwean Tobacco Farmers to Embrace Crop Insurance Amid Increasing Weather Risks
Zimbabwe is targeting a tobacco production of 360 million kilogrammes for the 2025/26 season, a goal that faces new challenges as climate-related weather events intensify. The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has strongly urged tobacco farmers across the country to insure their crops against natural hazards, highlighting recent hailstorms that have caused significant damage in key tobacco-growing regions.
On November 28, 2025, hailstorms accompanied by severe winds devastated 130 hectares of tobacco at Wilmont, Chidziva, and Dahwe Farms in Mashonaland Central province. A few days later, on December 2, a hailstorm struck a promising tobacco crop in Manicaland, resulting in damage to insured plants. TIMB praised the insurance payout received by the affected grower, illustrating the benefits of crop insurance in mitigating financial losses.
Among those affected was Mrs Monica Chinamasa, president of the Zimbabwe National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and an experienced tobacco farmer. Her 40-hectare irrigated crop was heavily damaged. She lamented the losses not only for herself but also for contractors and the national economy, emphasising that all farmers committed to serious farming should prioritise insuring their crops against weather risks.
Similarly, a newcomer to tobacco farming, Mr William Chibwe of Mvurwi in Mashonaland Central, lost his entire six hectares of tobacco — three irrigated and three dryland — due to the hail and strong winds. Without insurance, Mr Chibwe is taking measures to salvage part of his crop by topping damaged areas and re-ridging his fields.
Additional hail damage was reported in Mashonaland East, with farmers like Mr Jaison Shuro of Montecristo Farm in Marondera suffering losses on 10 hectares, alongside his wife’s five hectares. Thankfully, their crops were insured, and insurers were prompt in beginning damage assessments, enabling faster claims processing. Mr Shuro noted that many farmers in the area were impacted, highlighting the widespread nature of this climatic threat.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust (TFUT) president, Mr Edward Dune, reiterated the importance of risk mitigation through insurance as part of tobacco farmers’ resilience strategies. He explained that while hail represents an unfortunate hazard, insurance schemes enable farmers to recover and continue their operations. The performance of insurance companies is evaluated by the timeliness and fairness of claims honoured, an important metric for farmer confidence.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTGA) chairman, Mr George Seremwe, urged farmers to carefully review their contracting arrangements to understand if their crops are insured. He stressed the importance of reporting any damage immediately to enable timely assessment and avoid disputes.
The urgency for crop insurance is underscored by Zimbabwe’s government summer plan aiming to increase tobacco output from 355 million kilogrammes in the previous season to 360 million kilogrammes. Notably, about 93 percent of the crop is expected to be produced under contract farming, making insurance a vital risk management element within these contracts.
FFA Explainer Box:
Crop Insurance
A financial risk management tool that protects farmers against losses from natural hazards such as hailstorms, droughts, and floods by providing compensation for eligible damages.
As Zimbabwe’s farming sector becomes increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather exacerbated by climate change, proactive crop insurance adoption aligns well with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which prioritises agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and support for farmers, particularly women and youth.
In conclusion, TIMB’s call to insure tobacco crops represents a crucial step towards strengthening farmers’ resilience, securing their livelihoods, and safeguarding Zimbabwe’s vital tobacco economy against the growing threat of climate variability. Ensuring comprehensive insurance coverage will enable farmers to weather adverse events and contribute sustainably to national development goals.
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