Climate Index Insurance Workshop

December 14-15, 2011
Climate Index Insurance Workshop
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Guillermo Podestá, CRED principal investigator (PI) and University of Miami research professor, led a workshop on climate index insurance last December 14, 2011, with CRED co-PIs and collaborators from Argentina’s agricultural research institute, INTA. The workshop explored opportunities/obstacles associated with the use of innovative insurance instruments in Argentina’s crop, cattle and dairy production systems. Over 45 experts attended from Argentina’s insurance, academic, government and non-government sectors, from Uruguay affiliates and from multilateral institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank. CRED-affiliated researchers presented: “An initial overview of the advantages and limitations of index insurance and examples of their use elsewhere in the globe” (Daniel Osgood, IRI/CRED), and “The general role of insurance in the context of agricultural risk management” (Howard Kunreuther, Wharton Risk Center/CRED). IDB representatives and CRED researchers plan on exploring avenues for specific collaboration.

Following the index insurance meeting, on December 15, a workshop was held aimed at launching a sustained dialog with stakeholders from Argentina’s agricultural sector about the needs for climate information on scales from seasons to 5 to 7 years ahead. Guillermo Podestá made an introductory presentation describing a possible mismatch between the capabilities of climate science and the desires and expectations of users of climate information. Lisa Goddard (IRI/CRED) gave an assessment of the current state of the art in climate prediction science. Walter Baethgen (IRI/CRED) led a panel discussing opportunities for the provision of climate services in southeastern South America. Poonam Arora (CRED/Manhattan College) gave climate experts an overview of cognitive issues related to the communication and use of climate information to enhance its comprehension and usability. A follow-up meeting with several stakeholders will be held in March 2012 to design a pilot suite of climate services to support decision and policy-making in Argentine agriculture.