Farmers Perceptions towards Agricultural Insurance Schemes in Southern Rajasthan: The Case of National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Weather Base Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS)

Abstract

Crop insurance is an insurance prearrangement aiming at mitigate the financial losses suffered by the farmers due to damage of their crops due to various production risks beyond their control like natural fire, weather, floods, pests, diseases etc. Government of India started offering crop insurance in 1985, with the Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme. This encourages farmers to carry on with their productive efforts, which not only improves the welfare of the farmers but finally helps in stabilizing the agricultural output. In total majority of respondents, the insured loanee farmers 88 (88/150) (58.70 per cent) stated favourable attitude, while 35 (35/150) (23.30 per cent) could be found under less favourable category. The 27 (27/150) (18.00 per cent) farmers reported under highly favourable proportion. Statement wise attitude of insured loanee farmers in five-point continuum recorded most favourable attitude with mean per cent score 81.52, 78.17, 77.49 and 71.50 and placed at 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. This stated that the farmers can sustain natural calamities and compensation is available in time.