The Feed the Future Basis Assets and Market Access Innovation Lab (BASIS) identifies and supports innovative agricultural economic research around the globe and promotes projects that empower the vulnerable to sustainably rise up out of poverty.

Structured as a virtual institute comprised of researchers from all over the world and operating with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), BASIS concentrates on policy-relevant research on programs intended to enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers to manage risk, adopt productive technologies and participate positively in the process of economic growth.

As a BASIS beneficiary, the Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) transition from an asset replacement to an asset protection contract has been featured as a case study in a recent BASIS brief.

IBLI’s design change has meant that while originally designed to pay out after probable livestock mortality, the program now offers insured pastoralists in East Africa the ability to try to protect livestock before they die. By focusing not only on the monetary value of the animal, but the efficiencies of keeping the animal alive, the contract can potentially have a greater impact on risk management.

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Download the brief.