Laptop, livestock drawings and ricewine: A demand analysis for livestock insurance in Northern Vietnam

Livestock plays a pivotal role for smallholder production systems in mountainous Northern Vietnam. Economic risks, especially the loss of livestock, are major reasons for slipping into poverty. Normally, insurance systems could step in to assist. In developing countries however, insurance markets are usually underdeveloped. For this study, field research on livestock insurance was carried out. We employed novel interactive computing tools and implemented an Adaptative Conjoint Analysis (ACA). One hundred and fifty five (155) farm households of different ethnic minority groups in Northern Vietnam contributed to the study. The pros and cons of livestock insurance are discussed and policy recommendations are presented to improve the overall situation of vulnerable households in mountainous Northern Vietnam.