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With research staff from more than 70 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

David Spielman

David Spielman is the director of IFPRI’s Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit and has been with the institute since 2004. His research agenda covers a range of topics including agriculture and rural development policy; agricultural science, technology, and innovation; plant genetic resources and seed systems; agricultural extension and advisory services; and community-driven rural development.

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Since 1975, IFPRI’s research has been informing policies and development programs to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods around the world.

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IFPRI currently has more than 480 employees working in over 70 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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TOPIC

Protected: Insurance and Risk

Natural disasters, crop diseases and pests, and other shocks cause enormous losses in agricultural productivity every year. For small farmers in low- and middle-income countries, these shocks can lead to lost income and assets, food insecurity, and poverty.

Insurance is a vital tool for protecting farm livelihoods and enabling investments that boost their productivity. Evidence shows that insured farmers are more willing to adopt new technologies and make longer-term investments that improve welfare. These types of protective mechanisms can help facilitate climate adaptation and resilience.

However, systemic barriers often hinder access. High premiums, limited data, and basis risk where payouts don’t match actual losses make coverage unaffordable or unattractive for many households. These constraints leave the most vulnerable exposed to significant financial shocks.

IFPRI research focuses on improving insurance affordability and quality. By testing innovative models and addressing gender-specific constraints, we aim to create inclusive financial tools that strengthen global food security and farmer welfare.

Woman, standing, foreground, talks to group seated on the ground in in semicircle around her

A facilitator in Zambia gets farmer feedback on the impacts of climate risks on crop yields and local practices, part of a program to expand insurance offerings.
Photo Credit: 

Anne G. Timu/IFPRI

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Blogs

Scaling up crop insurance in Africa for climate resilience and agricultural transformation
Issue Post
 | 
March 10, 2026

Scaling up crop insurance in Africa for climate resilience and agricultural transformation

By Ruth Hill and Berber Kramer

Advantages of risk management for smallholders.

From satellite images to real-world impact: How IFPRI-Dvara collaboration opened new doors for Odisha’s marginalized farmers
Research Post
 | 
December 17, 2025

From satellite images to real-world impact: How IFPRI-Dvara collaboration opened new doors for Odisha’s marginalized farmers

By Berber Kramer and Shalini Roy

Turning crisis into opportunity.

Building smallholder farmers’ resilience through index insurance in Kenya
Research Post
 | 
December 05, 2025

Building smallholder farmers’ resilience through index insurance in Kenya

By Anne G. Timu, Kennedy Anahinga, Eileen Bureza, and Liangzhi You

Expanding the reach and effectiveness of a key government program.

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Events

Innovations in agricultural insurance: Lessons learnt about managing smallholder farmer risks
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

October 26, 2021, 11:00 – 12:00 pm

Innovations in agricultural insurance: Lessons learnt about managing smallholder farmer risks

Virtual Event: OCT 26, 2021 – 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT. This webinar will present an evaluation of how action oriented research on tools for improving smallholder farmers have spawned further interest by different sector actors. 

Challenges and Opportunities for Latin American Agriculture
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

October 10 to 11, 2019

Challenges and Opportunities for Latin American Agriculture

IFPRI is participating in an international seminar on Challenges and Opportunities for Agriculture in Latin America, which will be held on October 10th and 11th, 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This international seminar will discuss the difficulties and prospects for agriculture in Latin America, a region that currently accounts for a quarter of total exports […]

The 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture 2019
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

October 8 to 10, 2019

The 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture 2019

IFPRI is participating in the 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), which will be held from October 8-10, 2019. Since the term climate-smart agriculture (CSA) was coined in 2010, the biannual global science conferences on CSA have emerged as the key global forum for scientific exchange to underpin CSA implementation.  The conference will […]

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News

November 11, 2025 | In the News

Smartphones, women’s rights and coupons: new trends that can boost insurance for African farmers (The Conversation)

IFPRI’s Berber Kramer and Ruth Hill discuss how new, innovative forms of insurance could help insure farmers against weather shocks, and how South Africa’s G20 presidency can support these initiatives.

February 02, 2023 | In the News

A digital push for agri but with less funds (Live Mint) 

A new digital infrastructure for farmers and an accelerator fund to encourage startups were among the major announcements in India’s latest budget, writes Live Mint in a story. The digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as an open-source public good that will enable farmer-centric solutions. The proposed digital agri-stack will aid farmers with […]

November 20, 2022 | In the News

Policy paper on agricultural insurance on works (Kenya News Agency) 

Kenya News Agency reports on the recent workshop on innovation in Agricultural Risk Management in Kenya, quoting Peter Owoko, the Director of Agriculture Policy Research and Regulations at the Ministry of Agriculture, who underscored the need for innovations in product development and distribution. In the last three years, several Kenyan and international organizations have been […]

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Our experts

Ruth Hill

Ruth Hill

Director, Markets, Trade, and Institutions, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions

David Spielman

David Spielman

Director, Innovation Policy and Scaling (IPS), Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Guush Berhane

Guush Berhane

Senior Research Fellow, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Francisco Ceballos

Francisco Ceballos

Research Fellow, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions, Latin America and the Caribbean

Berber Kramer

Berber Kramer

Senior Research Fellow, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions

Liangzhi You

Liangzhi You

Senior Research Fellow, Foresight
and Policy Modeling