Protecting Livelihoods: WFP's Climate Risk Insurance Initiative Offers Lifeline to Vulnerable Kyrgyz Families

Climate change is becoming one of the main drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition in the country, with climate-induced disasters such as droughts, mudflows, and floods increasing by 150 percent in the past 12 years. Glaciers continue to melt due to rising temperatures, which is resulting in more severe flooding during winter and diminished water flow in the summer. Abnormally high temperatures and low precipitation are causing major problems for the semi-nomadic society, leading to significantly lower crop yields and hampering their ability to prepare for the long winter season.

Jumagul Abazkanova from Kurtka village echoes this sentiment, describing how the changing climate has disrupted traditional practices.

“Everything is late. If we sow something, it will not ripe. It will stay until autumn, but in autumn the sun doesn’t heat enough, and the yield doesn’t ripe. Usually, we used to mow hay up to three times, but this year we mowed it only two times or even only once. There is a lack of water because of the lack of glaciers and lack of snow,” adds Jumagul.

To address the difficulties faced by these communities, WFP launched the first Climate Risk Insurance pilot project. This pioneering initiative aims to enhance the resilience of rural communities to extreme weather-related risks. During the pilot period in 2023, a payout was triggered in the Ak-Talaa district due to summer drought, benefiting 792 families below the poverty line with 26.3 metric tons of barley. This support enhances their ability to sustain their livestock during the harsh winter months.

“WFP provided trainings on climate risk insurance for livestock. And through the insurance fodder was provided. It is very good, because the fodder is expensive now. As you see, the climate is changing, people can no longer store as much fodder as before”, says Jipariza Omurkanova, a social affairs specialist at the local government.

This Weather Index-Based Insurance Pilot is an important step forward in building climate resilience in the Kyrgyz Republic. WFP, alongside international partners, is committed to further reducing vulnerability to shocks and strengthening the adaptive capacities of rural communities. The success of this initiative lies not only in its immediate impact on vulnerable families, but also in fostering a more resilient and sustainable future for the Kyrgyz Republic.