On December 8, 2018, Green Delta Insurance and International Finance Corporation (IFC) jointly organized an event to discuss the role of agriculture insurance in mitigating farmers’ risks associated with uncertain weather changes in Bangladesh. The highlight of the event was the official launch of the weather index-based agri-insurance, supported by Business Finance for Poor-Bangladesh (BFP-B) Challenge Fund & Agriculture Value Chain Project of USAID. The launch was followed by a presentation on the pilot project and a panel discussion with high officials and experts from renowned financial institutions and development organizations.
The Honorable Finance Minister, Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith MP graced the event as the Chief Guest. Other special guests were Mr. Md. Ashadul Islam, Secretary of Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance; Mr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman Patwari, Chairman of Insurance Development & Regulatory Authority and Mr. Vijaysekar Kalavakonda, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, World Bank Group. There were speeches by Ms. Farzanah Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO of Green Delta Insurance and Wendy Warner, IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Besides the representatives from Green Delta and IFC, participants from ministries, policy makers, foreign dignitaries, insurance industry, regulators and related stakeholders were also present at the event.