Since the World Bank Group first forayed into index insurance in 2000, the financial instrument has been widely accepted as an innovation that helps small players gain access to finance and sustain their livelihoods. In the context of climate change, index insurance has helped vulnerable populations build resilience and protect themselves against catastrophes and climate risks. Index insurance pays out benefits on the basis of a pre-determined index for loss of assets and investments resulting from weather and catastrophic events. Without requiring the traditional services of insurance claims

ACRE Africa, a GIIF partner in East Africa, is a microinsurance product designer that helps foster equity, fairness, and innovation in the agricultural sector. As farmers in the region experience changing weather conditions, with delayed rain and more frequent incidents of drought, ACRE Africa engages stakeholders along the agricultural value chain and advises insurers on the development and distribution of low-cost insurance to protect smallholders’ investments. The following story is told by one of the beneficiaries of ACRE Africa. Jacinta Mutuse is a 36-year old farmer and the mother of one