The Design of a Drought Weather Index Insurance System for Summer Maize in Anhui Province, China

Abstract

We analyzed precipitation anomalies of summer maize in order to establish a drought weather index model that is based on tassel appearance and maturity stage as well as drought yield reduction rate. We utilized daily precipitation data encompassing the period between 1971 and 2010 from 15 agricultural meteorological observation stations within a summer maize planting area in Anhui Province, China. A compensation standard for insurance claims resulting from summer maize drought is proposed in this paper, and revisions are presented to the drought weather index by incorporating relative humidity from the initial insurance period. The results of this study enabled the generation of a summer maize drought weather index insurance product which was then tested within the city of Huaibei in Suixi County, Anhui Province. Results also demonstrate that application of a weather index insurance product can rapidly and objectively enable the provision of economic compensation in the aftermath of agricultural disasters.