Mauritania is preparing to adopt index-based agricultural insurance, following successful pilot initiatives across the Maghreb and West Africa-including Morocco, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal.
The authorities in Nouakchott are currently evaluating two structural models: a fully state-owned entity or a public-private partnership, according to AgriMorocco. Mauritanian officials are actively consulting neighbouring countries for operational frameworks.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Mauritania's economy, contributing 14.8% to the nation’s GDP, employing 60% of the active workforce, and driving 62% of rural economic activity.
Despite its economic importance, the sector suffers from severe underfunding and high vulnerability to climate anomalies, floods, and biological threats such as rodents and migratory bird invasions. These systemic risks frequently derail government attempts to modernise and diversify production.
To mitigate agricultural losses, the government aims to establish a structured risk-coverage framework. Mr Mohamed Lemine Ould Naty, Director of Insurance Control at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Handicrafts, emphasises the need for a mechanism that can cover operating losses in irrigated farming during disasters, delivering systematic and proportional compensation to affected producers.
Some insurance companies have suggested conducting an in-depth feasibility study to identify insurable risks, implement pricing for compensation mechanisms, and decide how coverage will be managed. Options range from direct private underwriting to semi-public co-management or full state control.