Together with Africa Climate and Energy Nexus (AfCEN), Enabel, and the European Union, we brought governments, farmer cooperatives, private innovators, and development partners into one room at Africa Climate Summit 2 to discuss how Africa is taking the lead in meeting the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation while securing livelihoods and protecting forests. We thank all our partners and speakers who made this event happened Keimusya Rauben, MAAIF Uganda, Moses Nyabila, aBi - Agricultural Business Initiative, Caroline Wamono, Emong Samson, Cafe Africa Uganda Ivan Mugeere, Rose Goslinga, Joseph N. Matthias Reusing As the EU proposes a further delay in the EUDR compliance deadline, this extension offers a critical window to strengthen traceability systems, deepen cross-sector partnerships, and deliver greater value to farmers across Africa.

We were honored to host the side event “10 Million Resilient Farmers: Embedding Agricultural Insurance into Ethiopia’s National Food Systems through the Input Voucher System to Scale Climate Resilience” at the Africa Climate Summit 2 . The session convened leaders from government, insurers, and development partners to explore how public-private-philanthropic partnerships can transform food systems by embedding agricultural insurance into national programs. A big thank you to all our speakers and partners for committing to build a more resilient future together.

INSURANCE FOR AGRICULTURE INPUTS Bundling insurance with agricultural inputs aims to protect farmers from the risks associated with rain-fed agriculture. For governments and farmers, bundling an input subsidy programme with an insurance product can secure government investment in agricultural inputs and increasing food security through higher productivity in good better farmer adaptation to climate change and Pula began offering bundled insurance to FISP a million farmers in three years. UNDERSTANDING THE COVER For the FISP scheme, the insurance risk is borne by Insurance, Professional Insurance, ZSIC General Insurance and Madison product developed by Pula is a comprehensive hybrid index insurance that covers a wide range of risks and perils, including climate effects, such biological risks, such as pests and crop diseases. cover to compensate for loss of seed investments weeks of planting, as well as a longer term yield index cover, which offers compensation when realised end-of-season yields fall below a preset benchmark level for a particular crop and sorghum, soybeans and groundnut s

With a track record of supporting 20 million+ smallholder farmers across 12+ countries, Pula is now opening the door for a select group of high-growth, capital-light companies to scale with us. We’re looking for bold businesses generating $500K+ in annual revenue, working in agriculture, insurance, financial services, or tech, and operating in our key markets across Africa. 💡 If your solution aligns with our mission and supports governments, agribusinesses, insurers, or farmers — this is your chance to plug into Africa’s leading agri-insurtech ecosystem. Apply by August 15, 2025 and start scaling your impact! 📍 More info & application form here:  https://lnkd.in/g_NCqSYX

Access to agricultural credit is improving, hitting roughly $68 billion across Africa, Asia and Latam. A MasterCard Foundation 2019 study suggests that financial service providers are currently supplying USD 68 billion to smallholder households, with USD 21 billion from formal financial institutions, USD 30 billion from value chain actors and USD 17 billion from informal financial institutions. While the financing need is 4x this amount, the market has seen an unmistakable acceleration in technology-driven innovation and expansion of agendas, programs, and investments related to rural agricultural finance. Financial institutions are increasingly interested in agriculture lending. This can be attributed to two major trends . Policy interventions requiring local lenders to lend a certain percentage of their portfolio to agriculture. In Tanzania, Nigeria, India and China such policy interventions already exist and both private financial institutions and state banks drive such lending. Positive financial incentives such as low cost and highly concessional funding provided by either government or development institutions to lend to agriculture. Key institutions include Green Climate Fund, IFAD, DEG, KFW, DFC, SwedFund, BII amongst others which are providing wholesale lending at concessional rates to an ecosystem of local lenders, value chain actors, agri techs, commercial banks as well as state banks and informal financial institutions. However, as financial institutions increase agriculture lending, they are careful to consider the risks involved. Climate risks such as flood, drought, locust attacks or other pest and diseases could wipe out a large part of the credit portfolio. More so, in just one season most of this lending is targeting primary production, financing inputs and production costs, where production is often not irrigated, the risks are significant. Climate risks drive most financial institutions credit risk and investment committees to require insurance to manage the institution's credit risk and as a pre-condition to disbursing any funds. How a Agri Credit Provider Benefited from Embedding Agric Insurance One of our clients experienced a drought but still had a 96% repayment rate that season. More so, it doubled its loan portfolio the following year in the same region. Without insurance the financiers farmers would have likely had to drop out, causing loan officers to be forced to look for new clients which is costly and tedious . Moreso, the cost of looking for new clients far outstripped the cost of insurance. While WITH insurance clients re-enrolled and encouraged others to join. Embedding insurance is a clear trend as financiers grow their agriculture exposure Pula partners with banks, MFIs, and value chain actors that lend to small holder farmers to embed insurance into their portfolios to unlock and grow financing to smallholder farmers and SMEs. Key motivations for these organizations to partner with Pula to embed insurance are to: Protect the financial service provider’s loan portfolio from climate shocks Ensure farmers' ability to repay credit through a comprehensive and affordable insurance product Few countries and financial institutions where Pula bundles insurance with credit Benefits of Embedding Insurance The impact of embedding insurance is that farmers are able to Repay the loan for that season Remain customers of the financial institution for the following season despite climate shocks Growing the portfolio of the financial institutions to reach a profitable scale. When farmers are able to repay loans following a climate shock through insurance, we see increasing evidence of farmers being able to bounce back to the income levels they were targeting with the support of the loan. Evidence from Apollo Agriculture in Kenya shows that even after two subsequent years of drought, farmers were able to attain yields that were similar to their initial target level achieved with the improved inputs supplied through Apollo’s loans. This is what we refer to as the ‘resilience effect’ or ‘bounce back effect’ of insurance. The second is similarly important for financial institutions given that a lot of upfront cost is incurred in client acquisition and if farmers drop out after one year, this limits the growth rate of the loan portfolio which reduces the scale of the financial institutions operations, and therefore limits the profitability of agricultural loan portfolios, which like any other require scale to operate. Apollo agriculture grew it’s portfolio year on year, despite climate shocks such as flood and drought. Pula’s key learnings about the requirements for lenders to successfully embed insurance Given agriculture lenders pain points, insurance products need to be tailored to the lenders specific list of requirements. While these requirements can differ many lenders to agriculture face similar challenges and Pula, as a technical service provider of climate insurance, has developed a unique expertise in tailoring insurance products for financial institutions. We have found that our parametric insurance product - the area yield index - is particularly suited to serve financial institutions because of: Its wide ranging coverage both in terms of risks and crop value chains The flexibility to structure the product for each institution including both payment timelines and coverage terms Provide an insurance product at an affordable and simple to understand price. Services provided by Pula to enable agriculture lending At Pula we are keen to work with financial institutions looking to grow their agricultural loan books, and contribute to ensuring food security. Through our commercial, actuarial, technical support, and consulting and product development teams, we are ready to support financial institutions to engage in agricultural finance and insurance through a range of services: Our consulting and product development team can support in developing the business case, manuals, processes and products for agricultural lending and embedded insurance. Often such work is supported by international development agencies, INGOs and UN agencies Our commercial and technical support teams based in 19 African and Asian markets are ready to support lenders to develop crop insurance solutions that can protect the loan books of the financiers along the value chain.

A significant milestone for Zambia’s agricultural sector was celebrated today as stakeholders gathered to witness the largest crop insurance payout in Zambia's history, supporting over 500,071 smallholder farmers who faced climate-related losses during the 2023/2024 farming season. This momentous event, held under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) , saw a payout of over 800 million kwacha —a crucial lifeline for farmers affected by drought and other adverse weather events. The Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is a collaborative initiative designed to enhance resilience, food security, and financial stability among Zambia’s smallholder farmers. Implemented by Pula Advisors with the support of local partners, including ZSIC General Insurance, Professional Insurance Corporation Zambia PLC (PICZ), Savenda General Insurance, and Madison General Insurance, this program provides a comprehensive safety net, helping farmers safeguard their crops and livelihoods against climate risks. Through FISP, farmers receive coverage to help mitigate losses due to unpredictable weather conditions, allowing them to continue farming with confidence. "Today’s payout is more than just financial support; it’s a symbol of resilience and the commitment of Zambia’s agricultural sector to protect its farmers," said Thomas Njeru, CEO of Pula Advisors . "As Pula, we are proud to stand alongside our partners and the Ministry of Agriculture to secure a brighter future for smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of this country." The crop insurance program under FISP is tailored to the specific needs of smallholder farmers, bundling insurance with agricultural inputs to create an affordable and accessible solution. Through extensive collaboration, Pula Advisors and its partners have developed an index-based insurance product that provides protection against a wide range of climate perils, including drought and excessive rainfall. This payout event marks a major achievement in Zambia’s journey towards building a climate-resilient agricultural sector. The Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility (ADFI) played a vital role in supporting Pula Advisors, providing a $1 million grant to develop and scale gender-sensitive insurance solutions targeting vulnerable groups, including women smallholder farmers, across Zambia, Kenya, and Nigeria. ADFI’s funding has enabled Pula to design innovative insurance products and implement training programs for agro-dealers and agents to better serve farmers on the ground. Impact Beyond Numbers: Supporting Smallholder Farmers’ Livelihoods The payout event underscored the transformative impact of FISP and the power of agricultural insurance to protect livelihoods and foster resilience. For the farmers receiving payouts, this program represents stability and peace of mind, allowing them to focus on the future with renewed confidence. Through this initiative, Zambia is setting a benchmark for sustainable agricultural practices and paving the way for expanded coverage in future farming seasons. "As we celebrate today’s historic payout, we look forward to scaling this initiative further to reach even more farmers across Zambia. This is not only an investment in our farmers but also in the food security and economic prosperity of Zambia," added Thomas Njeru. The event provided a platform for key stakeholders, including government representatives, insurance partners, and farmers, to share their experiences and discuss the positive impacts of the FISP program. A ceremonial payout cheque was presented to the farmers as a testament to the success of this innovative approach to agricultural insurance. Building a Resilient Future Zambia’s FISP program, supported by Pula Advisors and a consortium of partners, is a shining example of what can be achieved through collaboration, innovation, and commitment to resilience. As climate change continues to impact agriculture globally, Zambia is taking proactive steps to secure the future of its farmers, making this event not only a celebration but a call to action for continued investment in climate-resilient agriculture.

Insurance For Human Wildlife Conflict The Government of Kenya (GoK) has selected Pula to administer the Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) compensation scheme. Over 6,000 conflict cases occur each year across Kenya triggered by climatic events that impact animal movements. The GoK established the compensation fund in 2013 to provide financial assistance to those affected by HWC conflicts. HWC Coverage Challenges The current administration of the scheme faces significant challenges. A substantial backlog of claims since 2014, estimated in the thousands, remains unaddressed. Additionally, claims filed from July 2023 have not been processed. Inefficiencies exist due to manual processes that are reliant on physical copies. Fueled by unpaid claims and unreliable processes, the population increasingly distrusts the current HWC scheme. PULA’S Solution With support from AB Entheos and Minet Kenya, Pula will administer the self-funded compensation scheme. The pilot phase will focus on the six most affected counties for two years. The scope of Pula’s work is as follows: Community Engagement and Education Digitization of Claim Reporting, Evaluation, Approval, and Disbursement Processes End-to-End Digital Administration Ground Claim Verification Reporting and Insights Project Impact 2 years Pilot 860,000 Kenyan households Program Partners AB Entheos is seeking to make financial services accessible to those who need it the most. Minet is a trusted pan-African advisor that meets the uncertainties of tomorrow by delivering risk and human capital solutions today. Why PULA? Pula has demonstrated experience in field assessment at scale, particularly crop and livestock damage evaluation (with a combination of loss damage field agents, call centers, and mobile USSD platform). Additionally, Pula has the ability to digitize the verification and assessment to provide real-time data to track claims. Promising Opportunity HWC is a recurring challenge affecting many communities around the world. Governments are struggling to implement compensation programs because conflicts happen in areas where claim verification is hard. This pilot project demonstrates Pula’s capabilities to verify incidents at scale and positions Pula to serve many other markets, such as: Administering the scheme for all 47 counties in Kenya and clearing the 2014-2023 claim backlog. Zambia is facing similar challenges to Kenya, and the Ministry of Tourism has already expressed Interest experience in the scheme.

Smallholder-inclusive traceability systems are only as trustworthy as the privacy protocols behind them. A single data breach can: Expose confidential supplier relationships Trigger regulatory penalties (under GDPR or local law) Break trust with farmers and derail adoption Give competitors access to proprietary supply chain maps In this post, we explore key safeguards, such as role-based authentication, private cloud storage, and end-to-end encryption, that ensure farmer-level data is secure, accurate, and fully compliant with EUDR and EU GDPR standards.

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will take effect in January 1st, 2026, making verified farm data essential for exporters to maintain market access. How can you ensure that your data meets EUDR’s stringent standards and protects your export value? Choose a partner with third-party verified data At Pula, we are proud to share that our polygon data has been verified by Meridia with a 99.5% acceptance rate—empowering exporters to seamlessly comply with EUDR requirements Uganda Success Story: Pula’s project in Uganda has helped local exporters secure $1 billion worth of coffee exports by ensuring compliance with EUDR Why Choose Pula? Data credibility at scale—trusted by exporters and regulators Third-party validation—ensuring transparency & compliance Seamless integration—enabling smooth EU portal submissions

We are honoured to work with aBi - Agricultural Business Initiative to host the Embassy of Denmark in Uganda for a field visit to share Pula’s experience on how we safeguarded Uganda’s $1 bn + exports by enabling the first successful shipment of EUDR-compliant coffee to Europe. Pula is proud to be working with all coffee exporters and cooperatives in Uganda to navigate regulatory requirements, ensuring that Uganda’s coffee remains competitive in the global market: Ensure full traceability through geo-mapping of coffee farms Support sustainability audits to meet EUDR standards Implement risk mitigation strategies for smallholder farmers Leverage data-driven insights to enhance productivity and market access As Uganda continues to position itself as a leading coffee exporter, Pula is dedicated to supporting more farmers and exporters in achieving EUDR compliance, improving climate resilience, and increasing market access.

We’re excited to share the success of our recent learning trip to Kenya, where Mozambican stakeholders had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Area Yield Index Insurance (AYII) and its transformative impact on rural farming communities. Pula collaborates with Feed the Future RESINA, focused on promoting community resilience by building the capacity of relevant Mozambican public sector stakeholders, insurance providers, and farming communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from environmental shocks such as drought, crop pests, and diseases. Key Highlights Capacity Building Through Workshops Collaborative Learning with Kenyan Ecosystem Players Experience Crop Cut Experiment (CCE) to learn the importance of accurate and consistent yield monitoring

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the webinar, "How to Avoid Up to 30% Loss in Export Value – Farmer Traceability and EUDR Compliance for African Agriculture." We hope you found it insightful and valuable as we explored the crucial role of traceability in meeting EUDR compliance and securing market access for African farmers. For those who couldn't make it or want to revisit key points, we’ve made the webinar recording and presentation slides available for download: 📹 Watch the Webinar Recording: https://lnkd.in/g8_UGh5W 📢 Understand how Pula's Farmer Traceability Solution works https://lnkd.in/gv4hMVB4 📄 Download the Presentation Slides: https://we.tl/t-wPBaKQmxRY