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Policy against disasters

2018-04-24

Insurance companies could provide protection during droughts in Africa. How exactly this could be done is what the industry is currently trying to figure out. First experiences are available. An interview with the Managing Director of the Munich Re Foundation, Thomas Loster

(c) Christoph Püschner/Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe — Kenya: Farmer Elizabeth Kiilu and her goats. The insurance often runs through farmers' associations, which often count hundreds or even thousands of farmers as members. © Christoph Püschner/Brot für die Welt

By Thomas Loster

Thomas Loster is a geographer and Managing Director of the Münchener Rück Stiftung (Münchener Rück Foundation). From 1988 to 2004 he was employed in the GeoRisikoForschung (GeoRiskResearch) department at Münchener Rück, where he began with digital cartography, and managed the specialist fields of flood risk research, weather risk research and NatCatSERVICE's natural disaster statistics. As a weather and climate expert he represented Münchener Rück at global climate change conferences (COP). From 2003 to 2005 Loster was Head of the Climate Change Working Group of the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). In July 2004 he took over the position of Managing Director of the Münchener Rück Stiftung. The foundation addresses major global challenges – poverty alleviation, environmental and climate change, water as a resource and risk factor, demographic change and disaster mitigation – and supports people at risk. Thomas Loster is a member of the German National Committee of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and, from 2006 to 2010, was a member of the German Council for Sustainable Development. He is a member of the World Bank / IFC Advisory Panel on Business and Sustainability. In addition, he is a member of the Executive Board of the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII), which seeks to find insurance solutions to weather-related disasters in developing and newly industrialised countries.

All contributions

Munich Re Foundation

By Tilman Wörtz

Tilman Wörtz studied politics and economics in Erlangen, Paris and Mexico City. Since 2000 he has been working as a reporter for Zeitenspiegel Reportagen. He is interested in the economic and political development of countries in crisis.

All contributions

Mr Loster, how can insurance companies help a farmer in Africa adapt to climate change?

Loster: Insurance companies certainly cannot eliminate the problems, but they can provide some relief. In some cases, they have already done that. But in many places we are just at the beginning of this development and cannot expect miracles. Insurance packages in Africa need to be structured quite differently than in Europe or the US. We in the foundation are also contact persons in this process.

In rural Africa a representative in a suit cannot simply walk across the fields and sell insurance

What concrete experiences are there so far?

An interesting example is the Rural Resilience Initiative R4 in East Africa. Oxfam trained 200 farmers in Ethiopia in 2009. The focus was on cultivation methods that should help them adapt to extreme weather conditions which are occurring more frequently. Part of the project included insurance against the effects of extreme drought. Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has joined the project and is working with 57,000 farmers in five countries. $125,000 in insurance amounts have already been paid. The insurance often runs through farmers' associations, which often count hundreds or even thousands of farmers as members. It helps the association and those affected, of course, if someone shows up with a $20,000 check after a drought and says, ‘Well, distribute it among those who were hit the hardest.’ The money paid out helps people overcome the crisis more easily. Farmers then do not have to sell their tools, cattle or other productive goods to feed their families.

The payout is not determined based on individual damage?

No, that would be far too costly with the small insurance amounts. It is a so-called index insurance. It goes into effect when, for example, a certain temperature or drought level in a region is exceeded. A simplified criterion would be: 'If it's over thirty degrees Celsius for a whole month, it'll payout'. This is an elegant and simultaneously uncomplicated method. There is just one problem: A farmer may experience losses, although the temperature in the region remained just below the defined value. It is then very important to explain this well to him. The people in poor countries so far mostly only know how to hedge themselves with savings, where something continuously comes back. With insurance, on the other hand, there is only money in hardship. That's new to them.

Can the data for index insurance be determined accurately enough?

Of course, data collection is a problem in many poor countries, where metering stations may be hundreds of miles away and the values in between must be extrapolated. The individual farmer may have the feeling that it was terribly hot and he is now entitled to a payout, even if this value cannot be objectively proven. The criterion must be as simple and understandable as possible, and many mistakes have already been made in that sense.

We are in a learning process where all sides need to get to know each other better: Governments, aid organisations, insurance companies and people living at risk

Please give us an example.

The WFP has teamed up with the African Union to create a major insurance package called African Risk Capacity (ARC), which operates at national levels. It is up to the individual governments to develop a precautionary strategy for extreme droughts and famine. The ARC then develops a suitable insurance offer. When the problems arise, payments are made from the ARC programme. However, Malawi, for example, has recently defined a complicated ‘moisture index’ that uses several values to determine how much water the plants need to absorb. This indicator was not easy to understand by a simple person and it caused great dispute whether payments should be made or not.

Insurance companies can only afford farmers who have at least minimal income. However, the poorest are often most affected by climate change.

In some cases, these can be integrated through work performance. The already described R4 initiative in East Africa also offers poor helpers insurance coverage, for example, if they help prevent erosion of the soil. In that case they are not required to pay any premiums and are still covered because their work is valued.

Oxford economist Stefan Dercon says: ‘Our disaster relief is medieval’. It usually arrives too late, because aid organisations must first collect funds through campaigns before the victims can receive help. Insurance companies were able to help more quickly. However, based on the volume of current offers it looks like we are still very far from such a form of provision in Africa.

I have had several discussions with Stefan Dercon. I think we need both: Reconstruction aid and protection against heavy blows. Such approaches have only been implemented for a little over five years and have maturities of up to ten years and more. So, miracles should not be expected yet. We are in a learning process where all sides need to get to know each other better: Governments, aid organisations, insurance companies and people living at risk.

Do aid organisations support insurance companies in mitigating climate risks?

Cooperation between the private and public sectors is a prerequisite for the success of cooperative development, generally referred to as Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Insurances have gained quite a new status through the discussion in recent years.

Does your sponsor, Munich Re, see any chance of profitability from agricultural insurance in Africa?

Yes. Munich Re is already active in some of the more developed insurance markets in Africa, for example in South Africa and Zambia. And it has been acting as a reinsurer, for example for ARC. However, the transaction volume is still insufficient in many African countries, and often the right products have not yet been developed. For the time being, we at the Munich Re Foundation are available as contact persons.

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(c) Christof Krackhardt/Brot für die Welt

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(c) Christoph Püschner/Brot für die Welt

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Karel Prinsloo/Arete/Rockefeller Foundation/AGRA

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A contribution by Beatrice Gakuba (AWAN-AFRIKA)

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A contribution by German Agribusiness Alliance

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A contribution by Michael Brüntrup (DIE)

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The communicator

A contribution by Jan Rübel

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Spiritual mortar for the young generation

A contribution by Jan Rübel

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Continent in an uptrend

A report by Dr. Agnes Kalibata (AGRA)

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Biodiversity and agriculture – rivalry or a new friendship?

A contribution by Irene Hoffmann (FAO)

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Mr. Marí, what happened at the alternative summit?

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An interview with Jan Plagge (Bioland)

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Innovation Challenge 2021

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The future is rural

A contribution by "World Without Hunger"

The future is rural. Young African entrepreneurs gave their generation a vocie during the G-20 conference in Berlin. "World Without Hunger" asked six of them, how more jobs can be created in rural areas.

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At the UN Food Systems Summit, farmers organizations have been represented on the international stage for the first time ever. Two representatives talk about bridging personal aspirations with the representation of regional needs and international negotiations.

Cooperation and Effective Incentives for Sustainable Land Use

A Contribution by GIZ

The second GFFA expert panel highlights the need for governance action to reverse global trends of land degradation.

GFFA for New Perspectives on the Planet’s Soils

A Contribution by Journalist Jan Ruebel

For five days, the 2022 Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin is all about strategies for a more sustainable land use.

Strenghtening Farmers' Rights with Soft Laws

A Contribution by Welthungerhilfe

How the UN Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) contribute to fairer and more secure land access.

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An Interview with Kah Walla

A conversation with the activist and entrepreneur Kah Walla about what needs to change for young people in rural Africa.

Digitalization: The Driving Force in the Future of Agriculture?

A Contribution by GIZ

At the ICTforAg conference in March 2022, the digital agriculture community exchanged on the challenges and opportunities associated with the next green revolution.

Our Food Systems are in Urgent Need of Crisis-Proofing: what needs to be done

An Artikel by TMG

Based on a scientific study by TMG Think Tank, the authors highlight various challenges in the fight against the hunger crisis. The findings show that climate change, conflict and covid-19 are increasing food and energy prices.

"Human capital will play a pivotal role in the transformation of African economies"

A contribution by Ben Leyka

The potential the African food sector holds is still far too strongly associated with the continent’s natural resources, Ben Leyka maintains. He seeks to change this with the African Agri Council.

And a semicolon in the middle

A contribution by Jan Rübel

After a two-year break due to Corona, the doors of the International Green Week (IGW) in Berlin are opening again. From 20th to 29th January, visitors from all over the world can discover, marvel and taste the produce. But the event is not only feasting and fun. The BMZ stand asks questions about where food comes from & where it goes – and in the process becomes a crash test for many habits.

Sustainable, feminist and socially just: The new Africa strategy of the BMZ

A contribution by Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge

In the video format "#99SecondsWith" of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Prof. Dr Anna - Katharina Hornidge talks about the new Africa-Strategy of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The importance of water for sustainable rural development

A contribtion by WE4F

How can the challenges related to water, rural development and climate resilient agriculture be addressed? What innovations need to be promoted? The Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) initiative presents strategies and innovations for sustainable, integrated water management in German and international cooperation.

From reaction to action

A contribtion by GIZ

A Year of Multiple Crises: Russian war against Ukraine, extreme weather events, high prices for energy and fertilizer, food crisis had severe implications for food security and agriculture globally and especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Transformation of the food systems is needed.

Sang'alo Institute invests in farming of sunflower crop

A contribution by James Wanzala

Kenya is a large importer of vetable oils mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia - amongst them sunflower oil. Due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, there were supply bottlenecks and food shortages, leading to less affordable vegetable oils in Kenya. As a response to the lack of supply, the Sanga'alo Institute of Science and Technology, took that impulse, teamed up with the GIZ and established regional cultivation and refinement of sunflowers.

Do import restrictions really benefit the local poor in West Africa?

A contribution by Isabel Knößlsdorfer

Protectionist policies like tariffs supposedly protect domestic producers if they cannot compete with cheaper imported products. Some African countries have therefore opted to impose such import restrictions for a number of products. For the case of chicken imports in Ghana, this study analyses whether restrictions would lead to overall positive or negative welfare effects among households.

New legal initiatives towards deforestation-free supply chains as a game changer

A Contribution by Gerhard Langenberger

Regarding deforestation free supply chains, there are challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers as well as for international forest governance. Also, responsibilities for companies and potential incentives for manufacturers to use materials from fair trade and sustainable sources need to be explored. But what does “deforestation-free” actually mean?

2022, a year of crisis – What does it mean for African trade and food security?

A Contribution by Ousmane Badiane

The Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor 2022 (AATM) was published by IFPRI and AKADEMIYA2063. The report analyses the short- and long-term trends and drivers of African agricultural trade flows, including regional policies and the role of global markets.

How the War against Ukraine Destabilizes Global Grain Markets

A Contribution by GIZ

Since early February 2022, two of the biggest grain and oilseed exporters have been at war. An overview, which countries are affected most severely by the destabilized grain markets, and what comes next.

Controversy: Do supply chains need liability rules?

Discussion about the potential supply chain law

The German government is struggling to pass a supply chain law. It is intended to address violations of human rights, social and environmental standards. What would the consequences be for business? A double interview with Veselina Vasileva from GEPA and economics professor Andreas Freytag.

“More of the same is not enough - we need to rethink”

An interview with Dirk Meyer

Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. Dirk Meyer, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, thinks: less individual solutions are needed, but more systemic approaches. Because in addition to the goals for food security, the issues of climate and biodiversity must also be taken into account.

Agricultural policy belongs in prime time

An interview with Dr. Julia Köhn

Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. Dr Julia Köhn, Chair of the German AgriFood Society, points out in the interview: Only if innovation and transformation are profitable in the medium term can they close the food gap in the long term.

Farmers' organizations want to be involved in designing agricultural policy

An interview with Kolyang Palebele

Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. "Women and young people need access to land. And they need financial support to cultivate this land." - says Kolyang Palebele, President of the Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO).

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Policy against disasters

By Thomas Loster

Munich Re Foundation

By Tilman Wörtz

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