Piloting a Weather-Index-Based Crop Insurance System in Bangladesh: Understanding the Challenges of Financial Instruments for Tackling Climate Risks
, Pradip Kumar Sarker 5,* and J. Craig Jenkins 6Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Dear authors,
This article deals with a very interesting and important topic, which is the pilot crop insurance scheme in Bangladesh. This topic, is even more relevant in relation to the prevailing climatic conditions in the country, which can significantly increase the risk of losses to farmers.
The presented research topic is timely and can have a great impact on the activities and development of the agricultural sector in Bangladesh, but the assumptions made need to be substantiated numerically (both in terms of projections and historical events).
My comments and recommendations after reading your article are as follows:
1) The authors could analyse the literature more extensively, comparing the results of their own research with those of others working on the presented issue in other markets. The conclusions drawn from the analysis would be very valuable for the presented study.
2) The article in its present form is rather theoretical. The authors could use and analyse in the paper the statistical data relating to the crop insurance market in Bangladesh. Indicate the values of premiums written and other variables describing the state and development of the sector. Additionally, refer in the study to the relationship between weather conditions and claims (attempt to demonstrate possible relationships in this area, if any).
3) The authors should also develop the described insurance model in numerical terms, which could provide a platform for future comparisons.
4) In conclusion, the authors could also indicate how their article differs from those already present in the literature, limitations and directions for future research.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Authors are very grateful that you have made such constructive and substantial suggestions to improve our paper. We have addressed all the suggestions made by you in ways which strengthen and clarify our approach in the revised version of the paper. Please see our responses in the attached file.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The paper is attractive and addresses a current issue, that is identifying the most suitable tools for managing and transferring risks related to catastrophic crop losses and climate change. The paper is methodologically well organized and the collected data seem to provide a solid basis for conclusions.
Although my perspective is that of a jurist, I’d suggest that there should be more emphasis in the conclusion on the importance of information, which is one of the few tools able to lower market access thresholds and to overcome cognitive distortions from a legal and contractual point of view.
Finally, I would like to mention some typos:
Line 37: a round bracket is missing
Line 68: I suggest to change the 2nd “based”, for example: developed on the basis of...
Figure 1: avobe / prece-precified
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Authors are very grateful that you have made such constructive and substantial suggestions to improve the paper. We have addressed all suggestions made by you in ways which strengthen and clarify our approach in the revised version of the paper. Please see our responses in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
