Strategic Outcome Monitoring Concept for the RIICE Programme

RIICE is a joint project to provide millions of rice farmers in Asia with enhanced security against crop losses. Thanks to vanguard technology, a substantial improvement is to be made in forecasting crop yields, thereby enabling smallholders to conclude micro-insurance policies.

Rice is one of the most widely grown crops in the world, and it is by far the most important food crop for the poor: more than 3.5 billion people depend on it worldwide. Over 90% of the world's rice is produced in Asia where farmers grow their crops on small-holdings of the size of one or two hectares. While the Asian population grows rapidly, commodity prices are rising and the available arable land area is decreasing. In most Asian countries, rice availability is equated with food security and closely connected to political stability: rice price increases have caused social unrest in several countries during the food crisis of 2008.

The objective of this project named "RIICE" (Remote sensing-based Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging economies) is to reduce vulnerability of small-holder farmers engaged in rice production in two ways:

a. Increase the information on rice growth areas and expected yields to help governments, agricultural intermediaries and relief organizations in better managing domestic rice production and distribution both during the normal growing cycle as well as after natural catastrophes struck.

b. Provide access to insurance solutions for governments, agricultural intermediaries (such as cooperatives or rural banks) and individual rural farmers to cushion the financial effects on farmers that stem from natural catastrophes such as flood and drought - the major causes for crop destruction in Asia.

The University of St. Gallen (I.VW and SBF) in cooperation with the ETH-Nadel in Zürich develops a Strategic Outcome Monitoring Concept to enhance the strategic, result oriented steering of the RIICE Project.