Weather Induced Diseases with Abrupt Occurrence

Invasive alien pathogens/pathotypes

Cassava Mosaic Disease:

A Curse to Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa: >50% of the global

cassava production of 233.8
million metric tons. "Mother
Cassava“ is a staple food for the
majority of "have-nots“ in Africa.
Area and production have come
down by >50%.
 Late blight of potato and climate variability

Hanukkala et al., 2007

Crop-disease Risk Management –
Some issues and approaches

Suseelendra Desai
Principal Scientist
 Some models

Single peril crop insurance

This yield insurance provides coverage against specific
natural risks that can cause a decrease in yields

Multiple Peril Crop Insurance

This yield insurance provides coverage against ALL
possible natural risks that can cause a decrease in yields,
including diseases
 Stages in decision-making process on crop
insurance
 Demand assessment - ensuring that any initiatives are in response to real
risk management needs
 identification of the key insured parties; automatic or voluntary cover?
 determination of key perils
 decision on crops to be covered - another key factor in insurance design
 analysis of insurance options, administrative models and loss assessment
procedures, together with determination of associated costs
 rating - determining the pure premium required, plus administrative and
loss adjustment overheads to derive the initial premium level to be charged
 identifying possible complementary roles for the government and for the
private sector
 Pest and disease attack
 Insurance cannot substitute for sound management of the risk of pests, parasites and diseases. Indeed, this is
a significant area of modern farm and forest management, with very substantial losses resulting from failures
in this area.
 Moreover the growing importance of international trade in agricultural commodities impacts on the pest and
disease issue in developing country farming in several ways:
 Phytosanitary regulations mean that any evidence of pest or disease in a consignment may disqualify produce
from entry to the country of destination;
 similarly, pesticide residues are subject to very tight limits under the standards for international trade;
 competition in the market is fierce, and even if produce is allowed to enter, blemishes on fruit etc. mean the
produce is unlikely to find a buyer.
 Insurance implications can similarly be summarised in a brief list:
 It is sometimes possible for growers to obtain cover against pests and diseases where there is no generally
accepted management control;[26]
 in an attempt to reduce the adverse environmental impact of some well-established chemical spray routines
for pest and disease control (e.g. certain chlorinated hydrocarbons) alternative, benign regimes have been
developed. Insurance may be utilised in the future in order to provide temporary risk assurance to growers
using the new routines;
 frequently damage to fruit and other crop products provides an entry point for disease organisms. Perforation
of the skin due to hail damage is a common example. In this case any hail policy needs to be clear as to
whether the consequential loss from disease is also covered.
 Risk Management

Establish Decision Context

Consult, Communicate and

Monitor, Evaluate, Modify

Risk Assessment
Identify Risks
Collaborate

Analyze Risks

Evaluate Risks

Risk Mitigation
Semi quantitative risk matrix
 Area Risk Protection Insurance
 Group Crop Insurance Scheme
 Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme with riders
Susceptibility Variety
Highly susceptible Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi), Key lime (C. aurantiifolia),
Pointed leaf Hystrix (C. hystrix), lemon (C. limon)
Susceptible Limes (C. latifolia) including Tahiti lime, Palestine sweet
lime; trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata);
Citranges/Citrumelos (P. trifoliata hybrids); Tangerines,
Tangors, Tangelos (C. reticulata hybrids); Sweet oranges (C.
sinensis); Bitter oranges (C. aurantium)

Resistant Citron (C. medica), Mandarins (C. reticulata)

Highly resistant Calamondin (X Citrofortunella), Kumquat (Fortunella spp.)

Modified from: Gottwald, T.R. et al. (2002). Citrus canker: The pathogen and its
impact. Online. Plant Health Progress
Bio-fuel Tree/Plant Insurance Policy Named-peril insurance covering six diffe
rent species of plants/trees, available for commercial production of Bio-dies
el, with optional cover against drought risk.
Cardamom Plant & Yield Insurance The scheme is designed in consultation w
ith Spices board to provide conventional cover against death/loss of plant b
ushes. Cover available for small and large cardamom varieties.
Potato Crop Insurance Parametric named-peril insurance linked to plant pop
ulation, available for potato growers under contract farming.
PulpWood Tree Insurance Policy The policy covers against pecuniary loss su
ffered on account of total loss or damage to the trees occasioned by specific
perils/risks like fire, flood, cyclone, storm, frost, pests and diseases.
RainFall Insurance Scheme For Coffee (RISC) Failure of Blossom shovers, Bac
king showers and Excess rainfall during monsoon and post monsoon season
s affect the crop yield. Scheme offers cover and is implement in all coffee gr
owing zones of Andhra pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Mizoram, Odisha
and Tamil nadu with subsidy support from Government.
Rubber Plantation Insurance Covers death/loss of rubber trees against natur
al calamities and other non preventable perils, applicable to both mature an
d immature plants, based on establishment cost and loss of future returns.
Varsha Bima / RainFall Insurance Covers anticipated shortfall in crop yield on
account of deficit and excess rainfall, consecutive dry and wet days, etc. It is
voluntary for all classes of cultivators who stand to loose financially upon a