World’s poorest farmers now offered insurance

The U.S. branch of the global development charity Oxfam is offering drought insurance to farmers in Africa to support agriculture and lessen the impact of climate-triggered famines. The program, supported by the Rockefeller Institute and the insurance giant Swiss Re, has thus far made coverage available to about 200 Ethiopian households, 38 percent of them headed by women. With a new $565,000 Rockefeller grant, the effort is set to expand from one village to five.
Full-text post by James F. Smith is available via The Boston Globe, 10/13/09.

Rockefeller's $100-Million Pledge

The Rockefeller Foundation has pledged $100-million over five years to help impoverished nations build better health-care systems.

Full-text article by Ian Wilhelm is available via The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 7.1.09.