Nespresso & Blue Marble Launch Microinsurance Pilot

Nespresso and Blue Marble Microinsurance have collaborated to launch a pilot weather index insurance program for smallholder coffee farmers in Colombia.

The pilot weather index insurance program has commenced with 1,975 farmer participants across 5,724 hectares, belonging to the farmers of the Aguadas and Norte de Caldas cooperatives in Caldas, Colombia. The program is a co-creation of farmers, Nespresso coffee specialists and Blue Marble insurance experts. It provides tailor-made coverage for excess rainfall and drought during the developmental stages in which coffee is most vulnerable to climatic shocks.

Through the use of satellite technology, this pilot weather index insurance program provides farmers with an affordable and efficient solution. In the event of excess rainfall or drought, payments are automated and quick. All of the pilot program design parameters have been validated by farmers based on their knowledge and historical yields.

Over time, Nespresso and Blue Marble intend to expand this program to other regions. The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) has expressed interest in extending this program to other coffee regions. Blue Marble and Nespresso are continuously working with the farmers and cooperatives to refine the design of the program, with the aim of scaling it in the near future.

Matching Blue Marble’s investment, Nespresso is financing the pilot program through the Nespresso Sustainability Innovation Fund, which facilitates the company’s investment in sustainability initiatives that go beyond its core business operations. Nespresso has committed an initial $10 million to specific innovative coffee value chain initiatives, including this vital program.