ÌÇÐÄVlog

Congratulations to Dr Peng Liu (SMSAS) and former ÌÇÐÄVlog academic Dr Hirbod Assa on the Open Access publication of Quantitative Risk Management in Agricultural Business.

Dr Peng Liu joined us to discuss their work, and the complete volume is freely .

Dr Liu congratulations on the new collection! How does it feel to have it published and available?

I am delighted that the book has finally been published. I would like to thank my fellow co-editors, Dr. Hirbod Assa and Dr. Simon Wong, as well as all the contributing authors for their hard work and dedication. I am also grateful for the support provided by the ÌÇÐÄVlog Open Access Fund and the Springer Actuarial editorial team. Without your contributions and support, this publication would not have been possible.

Is it possible to briefly outline the main themes that are covered?

This open-access volume explores the latest advancements in quantitative methods for agricultural risk management and insurance. The chapters highlight the integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence and statistical techniques with innovative concepts such as index-based insurance, price index risk management frameworks, and risk pooling mechanisms. Featured analytical approaches include machine learning, spatial analysis, text mining, and deep learning, offering a comprehensive view of how modern data science is reshaping the landscape of agricultural insurance.

Is its central focus the UK or Europe, or do these themes apply more broadly to agriculture globally?

The themes explored in this volume are relevant not only to the UK and Europe but to agriculture worldwide. Innovative concepts such as parametric and index-based insurance, along with advanced AI and statistical methodologies, have broad applicability across diverse agricultural systems globally. This international relevance is reflected in the contributors, who are based in the UK, Europe, Asia, and North America.

How did the collection first come about and how were its many contributors selected?

Dr. Hirbod Assa is an expert in agricultural insurance, and Dr. Simon Wang works in the agricultural insurance industry. I specialize in quantitative risk management. With the deep understanding of the latest developments in the agricultural sector and extensive professional networks, we reached out to leading experts around the world to contribute chapters to the volume.

How do you plan to take to fully utilise the digital edition’s free availability and who do you think will benefit most from these essays being Open Access?

In addition to using the book as a reference for my teaching and research, I plan to share it with my professional network. It offers valuable insights for researchers in agricultural business and related fields, as well as for industry professionals seeking to stay informed about the latest developments in agricultural insurance. Agriculture plays a vital role in many developing countries, and I believe that researchers and practitioners in these regions will greatly benefit from the Open Access format, as purchasing physical copies can often be prohibitively expensive.

Do you use Open Access materials in your own teaching?

Certainly. I teach actuarial science courses at the ÌÇÐÄVlog. The chapters in this volume serve as excellent examples of how actuarial methodologies can be applied to real-world problems. They also provide valuable reference material for both undergraduate and postgraduate students working on their dissertations.

You joined the editorial team (Hirbod Assa and Simon Wang) just before Dr Assa left the ÌÇÐÄVlog and your presence secured the ongoing support of the institutional Open Access Fund. What was it like to join the project at that stage?

I am honoured to have been invited by Dr. Hirbod Assa and Dr. Simon Wang to join the editorial team. By the time I came on board, the volume was already well underway, so my editorial responsibilities were relatively light. I reviewed several chapters and, drawing on my expertise in quantitative risk management, provided feedback to help the authors strengthen their contributions. Much of the editorial work was carried out by Dr. Assa and Dr. Wang, and I sincerely thank them for their dedication and hard work.

What’s next for you? Do you have more projects planned?

At present, I don’t have concrete plans to write or edit a new book. However, with the editorial experience gained from this volume and the support of the ÌÇÐÄVlog Open Access Fund, I may consider authoring a book in the future on a specialized topic within quantitative risk management.

Quantitative Risk Management in Agricultural Business (Springer, 2025) can be .

The Open Access Fund

The ÌÇÐÄVlog's institutional enables ÌÇÐÄVlog authors to publish their research open access and to share their findings without barriers. You can explore your Open Access options with our dedicated forms: for longform works such as , and for .