Planet Labs PBC, a provider of daily Earth data and insights, has announced a contract extension with ZEP-RE, an African reinsurer based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The extension comes after a successful first year of cooperation and paves the way for an ongoing partnership in a five-year project ending in October 2027.

ZEP-RE is currently using Planet solutions to enhance its insurance program, supporting more than two million drought-affected herders in the Horn of Africa (HOA). The program uses a site-specific drought index to determine payment amounts and premium rates and facilitate direct claims payment to sponsors.

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Initially, the program aimed to reach 1.6 million sponsors by the fifth year, but it achieved this milestone in the second year.

“Drought poses an ongoing threat not only to the health and well-being of livestock in the Horn of Africa, but also to the livelihoods of communities, affecting their economic stability, social cohesion and overall quality of life,” Berend de Jong, Global Insurance & Finance Officer at Planet, said in a press release.

He noted that their data serves as a powerful tool for ZEP-RE to develop and implement insurance programs that help protect the livelihoods of pastoralists in drought-prone areas, providing transparency and trust to all partners involved. De Jong stressed the strength of their satellite network in ensuring data continuity.

ZEP-RE uses Planet’s satellite data and reports to measure plant health over more than 1,000,000 square kilometers in the Horn of Africa. This data allows ZEP-RE to assess conditions, provide objective measurements of drought, and expedite payments to affected herders.

Hope Moreira, CEO of ZEP-RE, commented on the impact of the partnership on the region.

“Since our partnership began, we have been impressed by the flexibility and scope of the Planet dataset. With the data available on an almost daily basis, we can track changing NDVI values ​​at a high pace, helping us to be more efficient in our payments to deliver Better service to these vulnerable communities affected by drought.”

The collaboration between ZEP-RE and Planet began in October 2022 as part of the DRIVE programme, which aims to enhance pastoralists’ access to financial services to mitigate drought risks, include them in value chains, and facilitate livestock trade.

Since then, ZEP-RE has leveraged Planet’s satellite data to implement its risk protection product, support business continuity and expand its operation in the region. DRIVE is a World Bank-financed project in partnership with the governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

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