SEARCA, EcoSecurities, UPLBFI boost PCIC capacity for data-driven corn insurance

 

SEARCA, in partnership with EcoSecurities and the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc. (UPLBFI), conducted a two‑day capacity‑building workshop to strengthen the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation’s (PCIC) capabilities in developing data‑driven, climate‑resilient agricultural insurance products.

Titled “Data‑Driven Parametric Crop Insurance for Corn: Loss Modeling, Climate Risk, and GIS‑Based Payout Systems for PCIC,” the workshop was held on 5-6 March 2026 at Microtel by Wyndham UP Technohub in Quezon City. It brought together technical staff from PCIC and partner institutions to enhance their skills in designing innovative parametric insurance solutions tailored to climate risks affecting corn production in the Philippines.

The training forms part of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Technical Assistance program TA‑10009: Accelerating Climate Resilience in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and the Environment, which supports the country’s Climate Change Action Program (CCAP). The program is being implemented by SEARCA, EcoSecurities, and UPLBFI to advance climate‑responsive policies and tools in the agriculture sector.

Through a combination of lectures and hands‑on exercises, participants developed an end‑to‑end prototype of a parametric insurance scheme for corn. The workshop covered key technical areas, including Philippine climate and weather systems, parametric insurance modeling, loss modeling using the R statistical software, development of Excel‑based payout frameworks, and the application of geographic information systems (GIS) for spatial analysis and trigger design. These sessions enabled participants to translate climate risk data into transparent and timely payout mechanisms.

By equipping PCIC technical staff with practical tools to develop, test, and scale parametric insurance products, the initiative supports efforts to protect corn farmers from climate‑induced losses linked to increasing climate variability and extreme weather events. It also aligns with national policy actions under the CCAP to pilot innovative insurance solutions and strengthen climate resilience in Philippine agriculture.

SEARCA continues to promote collaborative research and capacity‑building initiatives that leverage data‑driven decision‑making and innovative financial instruments to enhance the resilience of agricultural systems in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia.