Philippines pilots satellite-based crop insurance with global partners

Agricultural losses from natural disasters reached ₱57.8b in 2024.

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has teamed up with DA-PhilRice, PAGASA, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) to pilot a satellite-based crop insurance and agro-advisory program.

The agreement was signed on 9 June 2025 at IRRI’s Los Baños headquarters as part of its 65th anniversary. 

The initiative builds on a 2023 collaboration and is backed by CGIAR programs supporting climate-resilient food systems.

Agricultural losses from natural disasters reached $1.01b (₱57.8b) in 2024, with the Philippines hit by about 20 typhoons annually. 

Traditional crop insurance has struggled with delays and limited coverage.

To address this, PCIC and partners developed the Area-Based Yield Index Insurance (ARBY), which uses satellite and historical yield data to remove on-site assessments and broaden risk coverage. 

It will be paired with Climate+, a weather-informed advisory tool tested in Camarines Sur.

The ARBY and Climate+ bundle will be piloted in Isabela and Camarines Sur before a nationwide rollout.