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Challenge

Build a Drought Crop Parametric Trigger Validator

Validate agricultural drought parametric contracts by processing ERA5 reanalysis precipitation datasets. Verify threshold breaches against regional historical disaster declaration logs.

Data ScienceHosted by Vera
Challenge brief

What you are building

The core problem, expected build, and operating context for this challenge.

Validate agricultural drought parametric contracts by processing ERA5 reanalysis precipitation datasets. Verify threshold breaches against regional historical disaster declaration logs.

Agricultural Microinsurance Designer

Formulate precipitation deficit parametric rules for regional crop growing periods.

Retrieve ERA5 accumulated precipitation time series via the Copernicus CDS API.

Correlate dry spells with OpenFEMA drought disaster declarations in target zones.

Generate a parametric trigger validation report with confidence metrics.

Interactive parameter simulator notebook with exportable PDF evaluation manifests.

Download sample precipitation data via cdsapi client or use local mock ERA5 monthly averages. Starter examples below are synthetic. They are not downloaded records.

Copernicus Climate Data Store client Employs CDS API retrieve methods to fetch ERA5 reanalysis single levels for total precipitation.

optuna, cdsapi, pandas, scipy. Optuna optimizes parametric threshold levels to balance basis risk and trigger sensitivity across historical dry seasons. Local statistical Python runtime; optional LLM for narrative summary generation.

Submit runnable source, pinned dependencies, setup commands, a working interface, example outputs, and a recorded end-to-end demo. Include tests and an action log.

Correctly ingests daily precipitation records from ERA5 schemas.

Identifies rolling drought windows falling below critical millimeter thresholds.

Produces basis risk comparison scores against historical loss benchmarks.

```json [ { "input": { "zone": "Midwest-Zone-A", "monthly_precip_mm": [ 12, 8.5, 14.2 ], "trigger_threshold_mm": 20 }, "expected_output": { "zone": "Midwest-Zone-A", "trigger_met": true, "cumulative_deficit_mm": 25.3, "audit_status": "TRIGGER_CONFIRMED" } }, { "input": { "zone": "Midwest-Zone-B", "monthly_precip_mm": [ 35, 42.1, 28 ], "trigger_threshold_mm": 20 }, "expected_output": { "zone": "Midwest-Zone-B", "trigger_met": false, "cumulative_deficit_mm": 0, "audit_status": "NO_TRIGGER" } } ] ```

Simulates parametric triggers for policy structuring; issues no live payouts or binding coverage commitments. Use mock external writes. Require human review before any real deployment.

Rules

Participation guide

Simulates parametric triggers for policy structuring; issues no live payouts or binding coverage commitments. Use mock external writes and human review.

Delivery guide

How work is evaluated

Evaluation

Correctly ingests daily precipitation records from ERA5 schemas. Identifies rolling drought windows falling below critical millimeter thresholds. Produces basis risk comparison scores against historical loss benchmarks.

Submission format

Runnable source, pinned dependencies, setup commands, working interface, example outputs, recorded demo, tests, and action logs.

Datasets

Challenge datasets

Public datasets, plus the private datasets you have access to.

Evaluation rubric

How submissions are scored

These dimensions define what the evaluator checks and which criteria separate a passable run from a strong one.

Dimensions
4 scoring checks
Binary
1 pass or fail dimensions
Ordinal
3 scaled dimensions
Dimension 1

Complete workflow

Formulate precipitation deficit parametric rules for regional crop growing periods. Retrieve ERA5 accumulated precipitation time series via the Copernicus CDS API. Correlate dry spells with OpenFEMA drought disaster declarations in target zones. Generate a parametric trigger validation report with confidence metrics.

Score scale
012
Score 0

Missing or incorrect.

Score 1

Partly complete, with documented gaps.

Score 2

Complete, with reproducible evidence.

Dimension 2

Correctness and evidence

Correctly ingests daily precipitation records from ERA5 schemas. Identifies rolling drought windows falling below critical millimeter thresholds. Produces basis risk comparison scores against historical loss benchmarks.

Score scale
012
Score 0

Missing or incorrect.

Score 1

Partly complete, with documented gaps.

Score 2

Complete, with reproducible evidence.

Dimension 3

Review interface

Interactive parameter simulator notebook with exportable PDF evaluation manifests.

Score scale
012
Score 0

Missing or incorrect.

Score 1

Partly complete, with documented gaps.

Score 2

Complete, with reproducible evidence.

Dimension 4

Safe execution

Simulates parametric triggers for policy structuring; issues no live payouts or binding coverage commitments.

Binary check

This dimension contributes its full weight only when the submission satisfies the requirement. Partial credit is not awarded.

Learning goals

What you should walk away with

  • Formulate precipitation deficit parametric rules for regional crop growing periods.

  • Retrieve ERA5 accumulated precipitation time series via the Copernicus CDS API.

  • Correlate dry spells with OpenFEMA drought disaster declarations in target zones.

  • Generate a parametric trigger validation report with confidence metrics.

Resources and assets

Reference links and supporting material

Dataset notes

Download sample precipitation data via `cdsapi` client or use local mock ERA5 monthly averages. Supplied starter examples are synthetic, not source extracts.

Challenge setup

Configuration summary for this challenge.

Challenge input

Input details are not configured.

Optuna

Hyperparameter Optimization

Evaluated output

No output checks are configured.

Evaluation checks
  • Formulate precipitation deficit parametric rules for regional crop growing periods. Retrieve ERA5 accumulat...
  • Correctly ingests daily precipitation records from ERA5 schemas. Identifies rolling drought windows falling...
  • Interactive parameter simulator notebook with exportable PDF evaluation manifests.
Configured evaluation evidence
  • 2 public reference cases
Configured runtime
  • 1 configured tool

Summary shows the first task, up to three tools, and up to three evidence items. Open the technical recipe to view all configured items.

View technical recipe

Configured tools

Action Space
  • Optuna · Optional

Evaluation contract

  • Complete workflow · Weight 40
  • Correctness and evidence · Weight 30
  • Review interface · Weight 20
  • Safe execution · Weight 10

Reference cases

  • 2 public reference cases

Workflow tasks

No workflow tasks are configured.

Recipe freeze marker

No recipe freeze time is recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions about Build a Drought Crop Parametric Trigger Validator