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Flexible insurance for heterogeneous farmers: Results from a small-scale pilot in Ethiopia

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  • Hill, Ruth Vargas
  • Robles, Miguel

Abstract

We analyze the effectiveness of a new approach in providing weather index–based insurance products to low-income populations. The approach is based on the concept of providing multiple weather securities that pay a fixed amount if the event written on the security (that monthly rainfall at a nearby weather station falls below a stated cutoff) comes true. A theoretical model is developed to outline the conditions in which weather securities could outperform crop-specific weather index–based insurance policies. Data collected during both an experimental game and real purchases of such insurance policies among farmers in southern Ethiopia suggest that the securities are well understood and can fit heterogeneous farmer needs. This paper documents (1) heterogeneity of rainfall risk among farmers, (2) the understanding of securities and transmission of information about weather securities among members of endogenously formed risk-sharing groups, and (3) the nature of purchasing decisions and manner in which they are made.

Suggested Citation

  • Hill, Ruth Vargas & Robles, Miguel, 2011. "Flexible insurance for heterogeneous farmers: Results from a small-scale pilot in Ethiopia," IFPRI discussion papers 1092, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1092
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Dercon, Stefan & Hill, Ruth Vargas & Clarke, Daniel & Outes-Leon, Ingo & Seyoum Taffesse, Alemayehu, 2014. "Offering rainfall insurance to informal insurance groups: Evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 132-143.
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    9. Hongbin Cai & Yuyu Chen & Hanming Fang & Li-An Zhou, 2009. "Microinsurance, Trust and Economic Development: Evidence from a Randomized Natural Field Experiment," PIER Working Paper Archive 09-034, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    10. Shawn Cole & Xavier Gine & Jeremy Tobacman & Petia Topalova & Robert Townsend & James Vickery, 2013. "Barriers to Household Risk Management: Evidence from India," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 104-135, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Holly Wang, H. & Karuaihe, Raphael N. & Young, Douglas L. & Zhang, Yuehua, 2013. "Farmers’ demand for weather-based crop insurance contracts: the case of maize in south africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 52(01), March.
    2. Stoeffler, Quentin & Opuz, Gülce, 2022. "Price, information and product quality: Explaining index insurance demand in Burkina Faso," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    3. Dean Karlan & Robert Osei & Isaac Osei-Akoto & Christopher Udry, 2014. "Agricultural Decisions after Relaxing Credit and Risk Constraints," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 129(2), pages 597-652.
    4. Ruth Vargas Hill & John Hoddinott & Neha Kumar, 2013. "Adoption of weather-index insurance: learning from willingness to pay among a panel of households in rural Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 44(4-5), pages 385-398, July.
    5. Glenn W. Harrison & Jia Min Ng, 2019. "Behavioral insurance and economic theory: A literature review," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 22(2), pages 133-182, July.
    6. repec:ags:ijag24:345239 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Renkow, Mitch & Slade, Roger, 2013. "An assessment of IFPRI's work in Ethiopia 1995-2010: Ideology, influence, and idiosyncrasy," Impact assessments 36, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Clarke,Daniel Jonathan & Mahul,Olivier & Rao,Kolli Nageswara & Verma,Niraj, 2012. "Weather based crop insurance in India," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5985, The World Bank.
    9. Delavallade, Clara & Dizon, Felipe & Hill, Ruth & Petraud, Jean Paul, 2015. "Managing Risk with Insurance and Savings: Experimental Evidence for Male and Female Farm Managers in the Sahel," SALDRU Working Papers 142, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    10. de Brauw, Alan & Eozenou, Patrick, 2014. "Measuring risk attitudes among Mozambican farmers," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 61-74.
    11. Elena Serfilippi & Michael Carter & Catherine Guirkinger, 2018. "Insurance Contracts when Individuals “Greatly Value” Certainty: Results from a Field Experiment in Burkina Faso," NBER Working Papers 25026, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Ceballos, Francisco & Robles, Miguel, 2020. "Demand heterogeneity for index-based insurance: The case for flexible products," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    13. Serfilippi, Elena & Carter, Michael & Guirkinger, Catherine, 2020. "Insurance contracts when individuals “greatly value” certainty: Results from a field experiment in Burkina Faso," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 731-743.
    14. Caceres, Daniela & Valdivia, Melissa & Barron, Manuel, 2024. "Information on Cancer Prevalence and Oncologic Insurance Take-up," MPRA Paper 120274, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Platteau, Jean-Philippe & De Bock, Ombeline & Gelade, Wouter, 2017. "The Demand for Microinsurance: A Literature Review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 139-156.
    16. H. Holly Wang & Raphael N. Karuaihe & Douglas L. Young & Yuehua Zhang, 2013. "Farmers' demand for weather-based crop insurance contracts: the case of maize in south africa," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(1), pages 87-110, March.
    17. Serfilippi, Elena & Carter, Michael & Guirkinger, Catherine, 2015. "Certain and Uncertain Utility and Insurance Demand: Results From a Framed Field Experiment in Burkina Faso," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211384, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Delavallade, Clara & Dizon, Felipe & Hill, Ruth Vargas & Petraud, Jean Paul, 2015. "Managing risk with insurance and savings: Experimental evidence for male and female farm managers in West Africa," IFPRI discussion papers 1426, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    19. Dercon, Stefan & Hill, Ruth Vargas & Clarke, Daniel & Outes-Leon, Ingo & Seyoum Taffesse, Alemayehu, 2014. "Offering rainfall insurance to informal insurance groups: Evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 132-143.

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    Keywords

    Arrow securities; weather index insurance;

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