In this Issue

• Forthcoming events
• Training opportunities
• New in the library
• Archived conference materials

From the Editors,

This month, we would like to introduce our readers to a primer series on agriculture insurance. The publication, launched by the World Bank’s Insurance Program, is written in a straightforward, non-technical style to share concepts and lessons about insurance with a broad community of non-specialists. The series is intended for policymakers, governmental officials, and financial sector generalists who are involved with the insurance sector. The primer is concerned exclusively with the use of agricultural insurance by firms in the agribusiness value chain to manage their risks. It defines what is meant by agricultural insurance, gives an overview of the market and explains the challenges of this type of insurance. Further, it discusses the range of agricultural insurance products and their practical application in the sector. It concludes with a description of the reinsurance market for agricultural insurance and an overview of public sector participation.

Secondly, the I4 Index Insurance Innovation Initiative is inviting researchers to submit proposals to develop and establish the feasibility of long-term pilot activities that will design, market and evaluate innovative index insurance contracts targeted at improving the lives and livelihoods of small-scale agricultural or pastoral households in Africa, Asia or Latin America. The I4 is a joint venture of the BASIS Assets and Market Access Collaborative Research Support Program, the United States Agency for International Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Micro-Insurance Innovation Facility of the International Labour Organization, and OXFAM America. I4 are especially interested in mechanisms that have a strong theoretical foundation and that are designed to complement broader risk management efforts. Proposals are due by 1 May 2010. For more information, click here.

Lastly, we are pleased to announce a call for papers by the Savings and Development Journal of the University of Bergamo. The Journal has since more than thirty years been publishing articles related to Finance and Development with special emphasis on Developing Countries and Rural Finance. Papers should cover topics including analysis of financial networks, governance and management of financial institutions, index-based insurance products, remittances etc. A full list of potential topics and submission guidelines can be found on University of Bergamo.

Regards,
The RFLC Editorial Team