Suchergebnisse

Weather-based crop insurance is a powerful tool for stabilizing farmers' income by providing timely payouts directly linked with weather parameters. However, its performance can be marred by faulty design, leading to high basis risk and insufficient payouts. This paper presents a new methodology for contract design for weather-based insurance, field tested in India. By combining agro-meteorological statistical analysis, crop growth modelling and optimization techniques, a heuristic model is developed which generates superior contract design which yields better and frequent payouts at no extra cost of subsidies (in terms of premium rates). The study also presents 'Farmer Satisfaction Index' as a powerful evaluation tool in determining the effectiveness of insurance products through measurement of basis risk. The method is backed by results from implementing the proposed model in many districts of Maharashtra, India. The proposed contract performed better than the existing insurance contract with 50 and 72 percent increase in Farmers Satisfaction Index for Soybean and Pearl Millet, while increasing correlation of payouts with yield losses and reducing the overall loss-cost ratio. Selected triggers effectively captured climatic risks in important crop growth phases. These results were consistent for pay-outs evaluated for long-term time series of 100 years of synthetic climate data. Findings indicate the use of recommended approach can lead to increased satisfaction of farmers, insurers and policymakers alike.

Weather-based crop insurance is a powerful tool for stabilizing farmers' income by providing timely payouts directly linked with weather parameters. However, its performance can be marred by faulty design, leading to high basis risk and insufficient payouts. This paper presents a new methodology for contract design for weather-based insurance, field tested in India. By combining agro-meteorological statistical analysis, crop growth modelling and optimization techniques, a heuristic model is developed which generates superior contract design which yields better and frequent payouts at no extra cost of subsidies (in terms of premium rates). The study also presents 'Farmer Satisfaction Index' as a powerful evaluation tool in determining the effectiveness of insurance products through measurement of basis risk. The method is backed by results from implementing the proposed model in many districts of Maharashtra, India. The proposed contract performed better than the existing insurance contract with 50 and 72 percent increase in Farmers Satisfaction Index for Soybean and Pearl Millet, while increasing correlation of payouts with yield losses and reducing the overall loss-cost ratio. Selected triggers effectively captured climatic risks in important crop growth phases. These results were consistent for pay-outs evaluated for long-term time series of 100 years of synthetic climate data. Findings indicate the use of recommended approach can lead to increased satisfaction of farmers, insurers and policymakers alike. ; Peer Review

Climate change impacts on agriculture have become evident, and threaten the achievement of global food security. On the other hand, the agricultural sector itself is a cause of climate change, and if actions are not taken, the sector might impede the achievement of global climate goals. Science-policy engagement efforts are crucial to ensure that scientific findings from agricultural research for development inform actions of governments, private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international development partners, accelerating progress toward global goals. However, knowledge gaps on what works limit progress. In this paper, we analyzed 34 case studies of science-policy engagement efforts, drawn from six years of agricultural research for development efforts around climate-smart agriculture by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Based on lessons derived from these case studies, we critically assessed and refined the program theory of the CCAFS program, leading to a revised and improved program theory for science-policy engagement for agriculture research for development under climate change. This program theory offers a pragmatic pathway to enhance credibility, salience and legitimacy of research, which relies on engagement (participatory and demand-driven research processes), evidence (building scientific credibility while adopting an opportunistic and flexible approach) and outreach (effective communication and capacity building).

Climate change impacts on agriculture have become evident, and threaten the achievement of global food security. On the other hand, the agricultural sector itself is a cause of climate change, and if actions are not taken, the sector might impede the achievement of global climate goals. Science-policy engagement efforts are crucial to ensure that scientific findings from agricultural research for development inform actions of governments, private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international development partners, accelerating progress toward global goals. However, knowledge gaps on what works limit progress. In this paper, we analyzed 34 case studies of science-policy engagement efforts, drawn from six years of agricultural research for development efforts around climate-smart agriculture by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Based on lessons derived from these case studies, we critically assessed and refined the program theory of the CCAFS program, leading to a revised and improved program theory for science-policy engagement for agriculture research for development under climate change. This program theory offers a pragmatic pathway to enhance credibility, salience and legitimacy of research, which relies on engagement (participatory and demand-driven research processes), evidence (building scientific credibility while adopting an opportunistic and flexible approach) and outreach (effective communication and capacity building). ; Peer Review