The project has developed three different machine learning models to help process the images collected, classifying crops according to their growth stage, type of damage, and extent of damage.

At the end of the season, a panel of experts – comprising insurance companies and agronomists – evaluate the images to give them a ‘score’, which forms the basis on which farmers can make claims.

Building resilience

Farmers who take out PBI are also supported in other climate-related aspects. For instance, ACRE Africa continually provides farmers with training on how to protect their crops against climate shocks, connects them to companies that sell stress-tolerant seed varieties, and use information services to encourage them to adhere to good agronomic practices and advisories.

“By helping build the resilience of smallholder farmers,” says Waithaka, “we’re supporting individuals but also trying to foster economic growth and food security.” So far, the champion farmers have collected over 60,000 field images from over 7,300 farmers signed up to the PBI scheme.

Of women farmers offered PBI, over half take it up. They include Elizabeth, a 42-year-old mother of three living in Machakos County, who in 2021, took out insurance cover by paying a premium of US$2.

Following a drought later that year, which saw many farmers lose their crops, Elizabeth was able to get US$15 in compensation through her insurance – which she used to buy three bags of seeds to plant the following season.

Less than 20 percent of smallholder farmers globally have crop insurance, with sub-Saharan Africa’s general insurance penetration and uptake being at three percent while the uptake of agricultural insurance is less than one percent.