Rose Kilonzo comes from a long line of farmers in Kitui County, Kenya. “I love it because when you farm, you won’t go hungry,” says Rose. She has always valued being able to provide for her family through the crops she grows, both by putting food on the table and by selling the surplus to earn money for school fees and clothes for her five kids. Plus, she enjoys the autonomy of being her own boss. But Rose knows that a good harvest is never a certainty. She compares farming to playing a game of cards — the outcome is never guaranteed. A season of scarce rains can destroy her fields and leave Rose and her family with no food or source of income.
When Rose heard about Accion Venture Lab portfolio company Pula, she was excited to learn more about how their innovative insurance and agriculture advisory services could benefit her. Pula provides agricultural insurance for traditionally excluded small-holder farmers by leveraging cutting-edge technology and an extensive network of partners, including the World Food Program’s R4 Rural Resilience Initiative. In addition to insurance, Pula provides data-driven insights and advice to help farmers like Rose gain higher yields on their crops in sustainable ways.
Rose now has confidence that she can provide for her family no matter the circumstances. “When you plant, you have faith it will be taken care of should your crop fail,” she says. Rose has become an advocate of insurance for farming and shares her experience with other local farmers. With a more secure income, she’s looking forward to expanding into commercial agriculture and teaching her children and grandchildren the trade.
