APA Insurance, in partnership with SunCulture, Humanity Insured and IBISA, has paid more than KShs. 1.9 million to 1,736 farmers affected by rainfall shortages between October and December 2025, providing an early demonstration of the value of climate insurance for smallholder farmers in Kenya.
The payouts were made under SunCulture Protect – Climate Insurance, which was launched in October 2025 and is embedded within SunCulture’s Pay-As-You-Grow solar irrigation model. A total of 2,083 farmers were covered during the period.
The insurance uses satellite-based rainfall monitoring to automatically trigger payouts when rainfall falls below or exceeds predefined thresholds. Farmers with outstanding irrigation loans receive payouts that reduce their balances, while fully paid-up farmers receive funds directly through mobile money.
“This payout is proof that climate insurance can deliver practical and immediate protection for farmers,” said Ashok Shah, Group CEO of Apollo Investments.
SunCulture CEO Samir Ibrahim said the payouts highlight the importance of integrating protection directly into the farming journey as climate shocks become increasingly common.
“This is the reality of farming today, climate shocks are happening in real time. The fact that farmers have already received payouts for rainfall shortage so soon after launch shows how critical it is to embed protection directly into the farming journey. This is about resilience, but also about continuity of income.” said Ibrahim.
The programme currently serves 3,444 SunCulture clients and is expected to expand into additional markets, with plans to reach tens of thousands of farmers in the coming years.
IBISA, which provides the technology behind the insurance platform, said the programme demonstrated how digital insurance could deliver rapid support when weather-related losses occur.
“Farmers cannot afford delays when crops fail,” said Maria Mateo, CEO of IBISA. “This payout demonstrates that technology-driven insurance can deliver immediate, transparent support exactly when it is needed.”
Humanity Insured, which supports the broader digital ecosystem used by farmers, said the programme had shown its ability to help communities manage both drought and excessive rainfall risks.
“Supporting farmers through both drought and excess rainfall within the first seasons shows how powerful this model can be in strengthening resilience across agricultural communities,” said Charlie Langdale, CEO of Humanity Insured.
