Rice farmers around the world face a variety of challenges, with smallholder farms being particularly vulnerable to the risks of drought, flooding, and pests. The world has grown accustomed to hearing about calls for donations after natural catastrophes strike crops, but donor-based funds can be slow to arrive in times of crisis, are not necessarily transparent, and are sometimes distributed arbitrarily. An alternative is improved monitoring of rice crops and insurance for farmers. RIICE, Remote Sensing-based Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging Economies, is a public-private development partnership project that is working to improve food security by supporting smallholder rice farmers in Southeast Asia through satellite technology and crop yield insurance. Read More
