The Role of Pre-Existing Rural Networks in Agricultural Insurance Markets in Ghana: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of Supplier Location Decisions and Farmer Uptake
Smallholder farmers in Ghana face major climate risks, yet uptake of agricultural insurance remains low, partly due to high supply-side distribution costs. This study explores whether insurance providers can reduce these costs by partnering with existing rural networks such as microfinance institutions and farmer cooperatives. It assesses how these networks shape providers’ spatial strategies and whether they unintentionally exclude the poorest farmers who are not part of such networks.
