Information Systems for Agricultural Risk Management in Africa

Information remains one of the key agricultural risk management (ARM) decision-making tool for farmers, governments and investors alike. Detailed information and accessibility for ARM are particularly demanding. The purpose of this report is to summarize the research results from a study that accessed the availability and quality of information for agricultural risk management purposes across seven sub-Saharan African countries.

The study considers risk stemming from seven main thematic sources, which are; Meteorological, climate, and soils; Satellite image & Communications; Prices of commodities, inputs and market components; Production levels and yields, Plant health; Animal and human health; Policy; and Socio-economic and sectorial. Both the existence and quality of information and the comparative analysis across the seven thematic areas and the seven countries are assessed.