Safeguarding the Farmer: A Close Look at Crop Insurance Awareness and Adoption in India

Abstract

Indian agriculture is highly susceptible to climate variability, as well as attacks by pests, and the volatility of the market. Risk management, such as crop insurance, is a prerequisite for maintaining the livelihoods of farmers. Despite the introduction of schemes of crop insurance like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to ensure the level of financial security and stability of income, the uptake has been seriously low. In this article, the theme of the multidimensional barriers to adoption is discussed, since these are the factors of the weakest awareness, the complexity of processes, mistrust of institutions, and affordable costs. Based on the recent studies, it also notes that a lack of knowledge about the elements of insurance, dissatisfaction with previous experiences, and incomplete connections within the institutions are major barriers. Such factors as the behaviour of peers, their social activities, and education play a significant role in the decisions of farmers. The article emphasises the need to develop trust that can be achieved by timely compensation, simplification of procedures and enhanced coordination between banks, insurers, and the agriculture departments. It further suggests specific awareness creation activities, as well as the customisation with local circumstances, integration of digital tools to increase transparency, and the induction of insurance literacy in schools and Farmer Field Schools. Through a holistic, decentralised, and farmer-centric model, crop insurance can stop being just a scheme and convert into a means of empowerment, which will eventually increase agricultural resilience and decrease rural distress.