Philippines Introduces Innovative Satellite-based Crop Insurance And Agro-advisory Services To Help Build Farmers’ Resilience
11 June 2025, Philippines: The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT are working together to pilot a program for satellite-based crop insurance and agro-advisory services for farmers.
Representatives from PCIC, DA-PhilRice, PAGASA, IRRI and CIAT signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 9 June 2025 as part of the IRRI 65th anniversary celebrations in IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna.
The program is designed to enhance climate resilience and improve risk management for Filipino farmers. Building on the 2023 collaboration between PCIC, IRRI, and DA-PhilRice, this initiative now includes a new payout mechanism bundled with agro-advisory aimed at providing better support to farmers. The pilot is being carried out under CGIAR Climate Action Science Program and the Scaling for Impact Program, both of which support science-based innovations for climate-resilient food systems.
An average of 20 typhoons visits the Philippines every year, impacting people, livelihoods, and infrastructure. The Department of Agriculture reported that in 2024 alone, agricultural losses due to natural disasters reached Php 57.8 billion. These disasters include floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions, pests, and diseases.
Crop insurance is seen as one of the mechanisms to cushion the impact of climate shocks on the already vulnerable agriculture sector. However, traditional crop insurance has not always fully addressed farmers’ needs, which can discourage them from availing crop insurance. Reports indicate that challenges such as slow claims processing, subjective damage assessments, and limited coverage sometimes hinder the effectiveness of the traditional insurance product.
Science-backed program to safeguard yields
In response, PCIC, DA-PhilRice, and IRRI, under the CGIAR Initiative on Climate Resilience (ClimBeR) developed a program that aimed to provide farmers with better tools for managing the impacts of climate change, improve crop insurance options, and enhance overall productivity. This collaborative effort reflects cross-sectoral commitment to transforming rice farming through innovation and research.
Using historical seasonal rice yield data from the Philippine Rice Information System (PRiSM), they developed ARBY or Area-Based Yield Index Insurance to provide evidence-based reference for the insurance package. ARBY also eliminates the need for on-site damage assessments. This type of crop insurance offers a comprehensive range of risks, including floods, droughts, saltwater intrusion, and pests and diseases. ARBY simulations were successfully conducted in six municipalities all over the country during the 2023-2024 dry season and the 2024 wet season.
From forecast to field
To further equip smallholder farmers with the necessary tools to adapt how they manage their fields, ARBY will be paired with a complementary field-level, agro-advisory tool providing timely and actionable information based on weather forecasts. This tool, named Climate+, was co-developed in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Region 5 – Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (DA-AMIA), DA-PhilRice, DA-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI), and CIAT.
The pilot was conducted during the 2024 wet season in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, alongside the rollout of in-season, weather-informed advisories across Region 5.
The ARBY and Climate+ bundle will be piloted with farmers in Isabela and Camarines Sur. A nationwide scaling will be implemented once the pilot succeeds to support the government’s goals to make rice system more resilient.
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