Lars Niehaus

  Faculty of Science and Engineering | Bachelor University College Maastricht

"From Reactive to Proactive: Exploring Parametric Insurance for Drought-Induced Food Insecurity"

Lars's elevator pitch
"Despite the rising importance of anticipatory action in humanitarian aid, uncertainties regarding funding and implementation persist.  My thesis investigates the potential of parametric insurance in scaling-up anticipatory action, aiming at identifying limitations to parametric insurance and providing recommendations to maximise its potential. Though stakeholder interviews, key barriers were identified, including (a) affordability, (b) funding gaps, (c) lacking trust among stakeholders, (d) stakeholder communication, (e) silos, and (f) lacking qualified staff. To reduce these barriers, recommendations include: (1) embracing failure as a learning opportunity, (2) creating/strengthening communication platforms and promoting common definitions, and (3) regulating private sector involvement to increase trust."