Millions of smallholder farmers around the world rely on their crops for survival. But farming is sensitive to weather risks, and affordable insurance is simply not available or of poor quality. In an effort to shield farmer incomes from losses due to extreme weather conditions or pests and diseases, IFPRI is developing a new crop insurance approach: Picture-Based Insurance (PBI). With PBI, farmers use their cellphones to regularly take pictures of their crops. A mobile app ensures that each picture captures the same section of the field by using geotags and visual aids. The pictures are then reviewed by the insurer and if there is visible evidence of damage, farmers receive insurance payouts. The model is very affordable and allows for high quality insurance coverage. From the perspective of farmers, having access to insurance helps them to better cope with risks, allowing them to invest in better farming technologies and to avoid making difficult choices affecting their family’s future when disaster strikes.