Needs Assessment of Business Models for Youth and Farmers in West Africa: An Analysis of Willingness to Receive Climate Information Services (CIS) and Crop Insurance (CI) in Liberia

Arouna, Aminou; Gbede, T.R.; Yergo, W.G.

Needs Assessment of Business Models for Youth and Farmers in West Africa: An Analysis of Willingness to Receive Climate Information Services (CIS) and Crop Insurance (CI) in Liberia

Autores

Arouna, Aminou

Gbede, T.R.

Yergo, W.G.

Editor

AfricaRice

Descripción

This study presents a needs assessment of business models for youth and farmers in Liberia, with a specific focus on their willingness to receive Climate Information Services (CIS) and Crop Insurance (CI) as climate risk management and livelihood resilience tools. Using cross-sectional household survey data collected from 1,498 respondents across key agricultural value chains (rice, cassava, soybean, coffee, and fish), the study applies descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models to examine socio-economic, institutional, spatial, and production-related determinants of willingness to receive CIS and CI. The findings reveal high overall willingness to receive CIS (88.3%) and near-universal willingness to receive CI (99.7%), with no statistically significant differences between youth (≤35 years) and non-youth farmers, indicating broad-based demand across age groups. Regression results indicate that willingness to receive CIS is positively and significantly influenced by farming as a main livelihood activity, reliance on rain-fed production systems, greater distance to mechanization service providers, greater distance to periodic markets, and participation in specific value chains (soybean, cassava, and fish). Conversely, formal education, access to market/price information, institutional contact, longer farming experience, and greater distance to extension services exhibit negative effects, suggesting substitution effects, structural barriers, and access-related constraints. Preferences for CIS types indicate strong demand for seasonal climate information, rainfall forecasts, drought forecasts, pest and disease outbreak alerts, and farming calendar services. The study concludes that sustainable and inclusive CIS and CI business models in Liberia should prioritize accessibility, spatial coverage, value-chain targeting, and differentiated service delivery approaches. Policy and program interventions should focus on integrating CIS into extension systems, improving last-mile service delivery, strengthening digital and community-based dissemination platforms, and developing inclusive financing and insurance mechanisms that respond to the needs of both youth and non-youth farmers. These findings provide empirical evidence to guide the design of scalable, climate- resilient, and market-responsive service delivery models for Liberia’s agricultural sector.