Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya

We compare the impact of two extension modalities on knowledge accumulation and willingness to pay for a weather index insurance product among smallholder farmers in Kenya. One approach to extension is based on experiential learning and involves participation in an incentivized framed experiment (or...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Osiemo, Jamleck, Cecchi, Francesco, Bulte, Erwin, Mwongera, Caroline
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173667
_version_ 1855531230841274368
author Osiemo, Jamleck
Cecchi, Francesco
Bulte, Erwin
Mwongera, Caroline
author_browse Bulte, Erwin
Cecchi, Francesco
Mwongera, Caroline
Osiemo, Jamleck
author_facet Osiemo, Jamleck
Cecchi, Francesco
Bulte, Erwin
Mwongera, Caroline
author_sort Osiemo, Jamleck
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description We compare the impact of two extension modalities on knowledge accumulation and willingness to pay for a weather index insurance product among smallholder farmers in Kenya. One approach to extension is based on experiential learning and involves participation in an incentivized framed experiment (or game). The other is based on conventional “narrative-based” learning. While both modalities increase farmer knowledge, incentivized gamification causes more learning. We also find that experiential learning affects follow-up demand for the insurance product, which is not true for narrative-based learning. Interestingly, demand for insurance shifts inward after playing the insurance game. This reduction in demand is mainly caused by increased knowledge about the insurance product, but we also present suggestive evidence that experiencing basis risk during the game was more salient than theory-based learning about basis risk. Game-based learning is an effective approach to promote knowledge accumulation and may accentuate or attenuate adoption of innovations by updating ex-ante, possibly biased, expectations.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace173667
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher Wiley
publisherStr Wiley
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1736672025-11-11T18:54:59Z Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya Osiemo, Jamleck Cecchi, Francesco Bulte, Erwin Mwongera, Caroline evaluation learning insurance information extension experiential learning We compare the impact of two extension modalities on knowledge accumulation and willingness to pay for a weather index insurance product among smallholder farmers in Kenya. One approach to extension is based on experiential learning and involves participation in an incentivized framed experiment (or game). The other is based on conventional “narrative-based” learning. While both modalities increase farmer knowledge, incentivized gamification causes more learning. We also find that experiential learning affects follow-up demand for the insurance product, which is not true for narrative-based learning. Interestingly, demand for insurance shifts inward after playing the insurance game. This reduction in demand is mainly caused by increased knowledge about the insurance product, but we also present suggestive evidence that experiencing basis risk during the game was more salient than theory-based learning about basis risk. Game-based learning is an effective approach to promote knowledge accumulation and may accentuate or attenuate adoption of innovations by updating ex-ante, possibly biased, expectations. 2025-02-04 2025-03-18T06:19:19Z 2025-03-18T06:19:19Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173667 en Open Access application/pdf Wiley Osiemo, J.; Cecchi, F.; Bulte, E.; Mwongera, C. (2025) Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 107(2): p. 347-721. ISSN: 0002-9092
spellingShingle evaluation
learning
insurance
information
extension
experiential learning
Osiemo, Jamleck
Cecchi, Francesco
Bulte, Erwin
Mwongera, Caroline
Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya
title Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya
title_full Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya
title_fullStr Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya
title_short Experiential learning, narrative‐based learning, and insurance adoption: Experimental evidence from Kenya
title_sort experiential learning narrative based learning and insurance adoption experimental evidence from kenya
topic evaluation
learning
insurance
information
extension
experiential learning
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173667
work_keys_str_mv AT osiemojamleck experientiallearningnarrativebasedlearningandinsuranceadoptionexperimentalevidencefromkenya
AT cecchifrancesco experientiallearningnarrativebasedlearningandinsuranceadoptionexperimentalevidencefromkenya
AT bulteerwin experientiallearningnarrativebasedlearningandinsuranceadoptionexperimentalevidencefromkenya
AT mwongeracaroline experientiallearningnarrativebasedlearningandinsuranceadoptionexperimentalevidencefromkenya