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Diversification of Islamic Financial Instruments

102

According to (Noor, 2015), medical, agriculture and

Microtakaful

are increasingly attracting

operators and leading the growth in the market. This is a promising sign because companies

are addressing untapped areas and new segments. Besides, by targeting these lines, operators

are serving genuine needs which are relevant to people’s day-to-day lives and activities.

Microtakaful

is one of fastest-growing lines of business and the government is paying a lot of

attention to microfinance and micro insurance through the Central Bank of Sudan.

Microtakaful

is of great importance, with around half of the population living below the

poverty line. The Central Bank of Sudan recently increased the maximum amount of finance

under microfinance allowed to a single person, from SDG10,000 (1665 USD) to SDG20,000

(3335 USD). Last year, Ta’awuniya launched its Comprehensive Micro Insurance Policy (CMP),

which the Central Bank of Sudan (CBS) has endorsed and advised banks to use in their

microfinance operations. Besides the standard liability protection of micro insurance policies,

CMP provides health, personal accident and pension covers, in a bid to expand the focus

beyond property to include individual protection.

3.4.6 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

According to (Mohammed, 2012), “the Sudanese Insurance market despite its historical

position as a pioneer of Takaful continues to face low penetration ratios and economic

challenges. Low income levels of the Sudanese, high inflations, lack of competent underwriting,

among others continue to plague the market. Overall, the challenges facing the Sudanese

market are similar to those in other Arab and African markets, and it would take some time to

be overcome. However, with the local

Takaful

industry experiencing significant growth in

recent years, the Sudanese market is poised to participate actively in international

Takaful

development. Not surprisingly, Sudan was the country chosen to base the headquarters of the

Federation of Islamic Insurance and Takaful Companies (FIITC). The Vice President and

Secretary General are from Sudan and are based in the Sudanese capital”.

Hassan (2014) argues that

“Takaful

in the agriculture sector is facing many challenges in

Sudan due to; lack of knowledge among the farming community, the high rates of cover due to

high risk ranging from 5% to 9%, the high administrative costs because of the small areas

covered in comparison with the potential available, the increase in the risk of climatic changes

which has resulted in droughts, floods, and the increase in temperatures, the use of uncertified

seeds and the negligence in the use of technological packages by farmers. The lack of

coordination between financing institution and the management of the agricultural schemes to

determine the volume of credit needed. The re-insurance treaties are sometimes a determent

to the progress of Islamic insurance experience. This is done through offering of small

capacities at very harsh conditions”

For addressing the main obstacles that prevents the diversification of Islamic financial

Instruments and presents solution to Sudan:

Low appetite for risk sharing: this resulted in depending on certain financial instruments

like Murabahah and very low dependence on

Mudarabah

and

Musharakah

modes and

other instruments used in agriculture sector, which is very important for Sudan, like

Muzaraa’

and

Musaqah

. This could be addressed by government policies that encourage

these modes by exempting them from taxes or subsidies them or any kind on incentives

that are given to the banks which apply them. The policymaker also could ask the banks to

allocate a certain compulsory percentage of their financing and investment portfolios for