Proyecto de desarrollo de mercados de microseguros (ingl.)

The project supports Bangladeshi farmers address their top risks and lessen their vulnerability to unpredictable weather shocks through the development and application of agriculture and livestock insurance. 
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Bogura, Bangladesh
24.848078
89.3729633
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Dinajpur, Bangladesh
25.6221009
88.6437649
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Joypurhat, Bangladesh
25.0967735
89.02271259999999
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Rajshahi, Bangladesh
24.3745146
88.60416599999999
Duración del proyecto
2017 - 2023
Financiado por
  • Agencia Suiza para el Desarrollo y la Cooperación COSUDE

(represented by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh)

Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. With approximately 40% of the population working in the agriculture sector (according to ILO), Bangladeshi farmers are highly susceptible to weather-related risks and frequently suffer catastrophic losses, such as the loss of a season's crops or cattle.

Climate resilient risk mitigation methods such as agriculture insurance are virtually non-existent in the country. According to Swiss Re reports, the overall insurance penetration rate in the country is below 0.5%.

The only accessible method for farmers to lessen susceptibility is to diversify their businesses and reduce their investment in high-value inputs. These risk-reduction tactics that promote "low investment - low returns" doom smallholders to perpetual poverty.

El proyecto

Swisscontact, through BMMDP (branded as Surokkha), collaborates with private sector partners to provide microinsurance services for agriculture and livestock with embedded extension services and aims to foster inclusive growth in the sector through resilience to climatic shocks. BMMDP facilitated the development of a climate-resilient agriculture extension service, which provides farmers with pre-recorded voice messages outlining their action points depending on the climatic condition for their location and for their crop. The program also developed the first of its kind 'Cattle Health Insurance' product, which allows farmers to submit a claim and get reimbursement for the expenses incurred for the treatment of insured cattle. This product uses cutting-edge 'machine learning’ technology for the identification of insured cattle through unique muzzle print detection. 

Agriculture insurance offers a way to make up for yield loss brought on by climatic shocks. It has been modified as a market-driven approach that facilitates systemic transformation. Key market actor’s capacities are enhanced to be fully operational without any direct assistance from the government or donors. Innovations in insurance products are designed to address customers' priority risks. In addition to product innovations and provision of extension services, insurance products are bundled with high in demand products, such as credit or agricultural inputs. The bundling of products has been an effective strategy for faster adoption of the service. In addition, the collaboration between the major market players (Insurance companies and Microfinance organisations) significantly reduced the cost-of-service delivery and in turn made the microinsurance products more affordable.

Project Goals

  1. The goal of developing agriculture insurance is to improve farmers’ well-being through enhanced agricultural productivity and resilience to natural disasters.
  2. The project aims to follow a market-led solution contrary to govt/donor subsidized approach to signal the beginning of a systemic/sustainable transformation. The program's insured farmers are to be responsible for paying their own premiums.
  3. The programme aims to support the development of commercially viable models for agriculture and livestock insurance. One of the primary goals here is to foster demand-driven product innovation in the microinsurance sector. Climate resilient extension services are also to be provided alongside the insurance products to increase value proposition.
  4. The programme seeks to facilitate collaboration with the private sector, especially for reducing the cost of service delivery. In Bangladesh, insurance firms are typically based in urban areas. Farmers can gain access to insurance through alternative distribution channels that already have a strong rural footprint.
  5. The projects shall work with regulatory agencies and local institutions for creating conducive regulatory environment and develop local capacity.

Project Partners

  • Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture Bangladesh
  • Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)

Resultados

as of December 2022:

  • More than 570,000 farmers increased their investment in agriculture and livestock and benefitted with increased resilience through increased income.
  • CHF 166 million worth of financing was triggered due to the programme.
  • Around 825,000 farmers purchased crop and livestock insurance policies.
  • Almost 590,000 farmers applied climate-friendly improved farm management practices.
  • Around 553,000 new livestock brought under insurance.
  • Around 56,000 acres of land area covered under crop insurance products.
  • More than 1.5 million farmers reached through BMMDP project activities.

Noticias

Bangladesh
Ecosistemas de iniciativa empresarial , Agricultura sostenible
17.05.2023
Bangladés: Hacer frente al cambio climático y fortalecer la resiliencia
Bangladés es uno de los países más afectados por el cambio climático; la afectación económica para el sector agrícola es varias veces más grande que la de los efectos del Covid-19.
Swisscontact trabaja con una multitud de socios del sector privado a fin de brindar al sector agrícola protección por medio de seguros adaptados a este contexto.