The crisis of climate change is increasing, only crop insurance can become a safety shield for farmers

New Delhi: We have come to such a worrying situation regarding climate change, which is having a very serious impact on our earth. Due to the continuous increase in temperature all over the world, various incidents are being seen, which are causing to affect almost every part of the world. The weather reaching its extremes is becoming common, which is increasingly affecting the lives and livelihoods of the people. The latest report of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) shows that the promises made under the Paris Agreement are inadequate and can increase the earth’s temperature by 2.5 to 2.9 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels in this century. This worrying change in climate will affect all of us and will also disrupt our economic activities, putting our existence in danger. Farming will also not be able to escape this situation. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has conducted a study under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture Project to analyze the impact of climate change. This study report shows that…

➤Rainfed rice production could see a decline of about 2.5% between 2050 and 2080
➤ Irrigated rice yield may decline by 7% by 2050 and 10% by 2080
➤ Wheat production may decrease by 6 to 25% by the year 2100
➤ Maize production may decrease by 18 to 23% by the year 2100

According to a study, India has lost 33.9 million hectares of agricultural land due to floods and excessive rainfall between 2015 and 2021. In addition, another 35 million hectares of crop area has been destroyed due to drought. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research conducted an agricultural risk assessment in 573 rural districts of India. It found that 109 districts are facing serious problems due to climate impacts, which are in the ‘very high risk’ category and 201 districts are in the ‘risk’ category. No one is unaware of the fact that extreme weather events are becoming stronger and more frequent, which is having a very bad effect on agriculture and crop production. This situation can push farmers into the pit of debt and poverty.

One way to mitigate crop losses and the resulting financial hardship is through crop insurance. Kshema’s new crop insurance products, ‘Sukriti’ and ‘Prakriti’, provide financial security to farmers. Sukriti is a customised crop insurance plan with a starting price of Rs 499 per acre. This insurance covers over 100 crops. It gives farmers a combination of choosing one major and one minor risk from a predefined list of 9 risks. This feature ensures that farmers select risks that can actually harm them based on factors such as climate, region, location of their farm, historical patterns, etc.

Protection is provided under Sukriti Insurance Scheme for minor perils like cyclone, flood (not applicable for water-loving crops), hailstorm and earthquake, landslide, fire caused by lightning, animal attack (monkey, rabbit, wild boar, elephant) and plane crash. Farmers can increase their coverage by paying additional premium to protect their financial interests. They can easily buy insurance by registering on the Kshema app from their home. One can also make a claim by uploading policy details and photos or videos of damaged crops on the app. Kshema uses advanced technology like geo tagging, satellite imagery and AI based algorithms to ensure quick claim settlement.

Crop insurance provides financial security to farmers. Over time, it encourages higher investments and better practices in agriculture, which ultimately boosts overall agriculture. Hence, it is important for farmers to buy crop insurance along with seeds, fertilizers and equipment this Kharif season. This will not only secure their income from adverse climatic events but will also help them move their farming journey towards prosperity.