Researchers Wiebe Smit and Kevin Gitau discovered why Kenyan farmers avoid buying crop insurance. They found that insurance companies sell the same products everywhere without considering local weather patterns. Many areas have different climate problems but insurers treat them all the same way. Weather measurement systems often make mistakes because they miss important details like tree cover blocking rain from reaching crops. The team decided to create better solutions instead of just writing reports.
The researchers joined forces with German Agency for International Cooperation and ACRE Africa to fix these problems. They picked four counties to test new ideas using satellite technology that measures rainfall more precisely. This approach helped them see exactly how much water reached individual farm plots without visiting each location. Fewer than one percent of Kenyan farmers have insurance compared to other countries like India. The partners offered to pay part of the insurance costs to encourage more farmers to join.
Farmers stay away from insurance because they hear stories about people never receiving money after losing crops. Some farmers waited up to two years for payments that came after planting season ended. The team educated 1,800 farmers and convinced 305 to try their improved system. Most farmers who signed up live around Makueni county where the program works best. Local government officials help promote the program because farmers trust county workers more than outside companies.
The researchers joined forces with German Agency for International Cooperation and ACRE Africa to fix these problems. They picked four counties to test new ideas using satellite technology that measures rainfall more precisely. This approach helped them see exactly how much water reached individual farm plots without visiting each location. Fewer than one percent of Kenyan farmers have insurance compared to other countries like India. The partners offered to pay part of the insurance costs to encourage more farmers to join.
Farmers stay away from insurance because they hear stories about people never receiving money after losing crops. Some farmers waited up to two years for payments that came after planting season ended. The team educated 1,800 farmers and convinced 305 to try their improved system. Most farmers who signed up live around Makueni county where the program works best. Local government officials help promote the program because farmers trust county workers more than outside companies.
