SEADRIF, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) and the Government of Lao PDR, held a national consultation workshop on 30 July, 2025 to co-develop two key initiatives: an anticipatory drought insurance product and the design of a Regional Agricultural Risk Finance Facility (ARFF).
The workshop brought together diverse representatives from key national agencies including the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI). Benedikt Signer, Executive Director, and Ellen Yong, Chief Operating and Financial Officer, of SEADRIF Insurance Company, represented SEADRIF at the workshop, contributing their expertise to the discussions.
Participants shared feedback on the preferential arrangements for the proposed drought insurance pilot and discussed delivery and trigger mechanisms. The workshop fostered a shared understanding of how anticipatory sovereign drought insurance could serve as a climate finance delivery mechanism in Lao PDR.
Under the Agriculture Sector Readiness for enhanced climate finance and implementation of Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture priorities in Southeast Asia project, six ASEAN countries have agreed to prepare of a regional concept note for the ARFF. SEADRIF is expected to serve as the project partner and the tentative operational home for the ARFF (reference: https://seadrif.org/news/seadrif-fao-and-six-asean-countries-agree-to-explore-the-southeast-asia-agricultural-risk-finance-facility/).
The consultation workshop provided an update and a nuanced understanding of the options being considered. Participants also shared input on preferred design options for the ARFF concept.
The workshop resulted in strong alignment on the next steps for a national anticipatory drought insurance pilot, as well as strategic input for finalizing the regional ARFF concept note.
