Satellite data-supported yield and claims management for agricultural insurers – SAFRIS
In the innovation project “SAFRIS”, CORAmaps aims to develop a data-based instrument to support agricultural insurers in risk and claims management, in order to reduce costs and provide attractive insurance policies. Satellite data is used for this purpose. The individual project “SAFRIS” is funded through the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM).
Severe weather threatens agriculture
Agricultural production is exposed to constant risks. Environmental factors such as hail, storms, floods, frost or droughts, but also regulatory obstacles such as harvest bans (e.g. in the event of an outbreak of African swine fever), can massively impair the harvest and result in high losses for farmers. In particular, droughts and extreme weather events caused by climate change will become more frequent in the future and expose farmers to significantly growing financial risks. This is accompanied by a rising demand for modern risk management, which is why insurance for agricultural land and livestock against weather damage and natural disasters is steadily gaining importance.
Satellite data reveals damage
Satellite data has the potential to quantify damage to individual fields without on-site inspections and, moreover, to estimate the risk of yield loss for individual fields in a customer-specific manner. Within the ZIM individual project “SAFRIS”, CORAmaps GmbH is developing an instrument for insurers to record yield damage and to estimate the risk of weather damage occurring, which could serve as the basis for new policy models in the future. Innovative AI models are used for this, analysing current and historical satellite data from the Copernicus mission. Through the use of white-box models, the decisions of the AI models regarding risk assessment are made transparent.
The idea for the “SAFRIS” project arose within the innovation network SEEDS – Smart and efficient agriculture through the use of key digital technologies, funded via the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM). As part of the membership, partners are actively supported in the realisation of R&D projects and in securing financing. SEEDS is managed by IWS GmbH, which also handles the application management of the projects and closely supports members in developing new technologies.
Funding body: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Funding programme: Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM)
Funding period: 01 July 2024 – 31 December 2026
