India's farm insurance scheme fails vulnerable farmers

Farmers in India are facing challenges with crop insurance that is meant to protect them from losses due to extreme weather. The government runs a large agricultural insurance scheme, but many farmers in high-risk areas are paying more while receiving less support. Dileep Patidar, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh, recently lost half of his crop and is still waiting for a payout. He last received an insurance payment in 2019. An analysis shows that farmers in districts like Mandsaur, which are vulnerable to climate change, pay higher premiums but get lower payouts. In fact, those in very high-risk areas pay 70% more than those in safer regions. The scheme was launched in 2016 with a goal to insure 50% of farmland by 2020. However, only 30% was insured by 2021. Experts believe that the lack of transparency in the system is a major complaint among farmers. Many feel they do not receive enough support, or any at all, after losing their crops. To improve the effectiveness of the insurance scheme, some experts suggest using technology. Andhra Pradesh has already seen successes with digital crop surveys, which helped lower the insurance costs for farmers in the region. The federal government plans to expand this digital approach nationwide by March 2026. Farmers like Patidar are eager for change. He emphasized the urgency for the government to address these insurance issues to ensure food security.