Webinar on Crop & Weather Insurance in India – Challenges and the Way Forward" organised by Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad on 12-08-2025
The Extension Education Institute, Hyderabad, successfully organized a thought-provoking national webinar on “ECHO – Crop & Weather Insurance in India – Challenges and the Way Forward” on 12th August, 2025. The webinar aimed to Farmers in India face significant agricultural risks due to the vagaries of nature. One of the most effective mechanisms to mitigate such risks is a robust and reliable agricultural insurance system. Although crop insurance has existed in India since 1972, it has been plagued by several issues such as:
- Lack of transparency
- High premium rates
- Delay in conducting crop cutting experiments
- Non-payment or delayed payment of claims
To address these concerns, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) despite its progressive intent, the scheme faced numerous challenges in its first year of implementation, including the extension of cut-off dates for registration, leading to high premium rates and administrative bottlenecks. In light of these challenges, EEI, Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Government of India, organized a national-level webinar on “Crop & Weather Insurance in India – Challenges and the Way Forward” on 12th August, 2025. The webinar aimed to:
- Understand the current issues in crop and weather insurance
- Facilitate discussion among stakeholders
- Identify actionable strategies for improving the system
A total of 105 participants attended the webinar, representing various Institutions from Agri and Allied sectors of current states, staff and students of state Agricultural universities. The diversity in participant backgrounds led to rich discussions and valuable exchanges of knowledge and experiences.
The webinar addressed by speakers Smt. Pallavi Mali, Lead Lead-Capacity Building n Knowledge Management, (CPMU-PMFBY), MoA &FW, GoI, New Delhi and Mr. Pradeep Rajendran, Insurance Products and Compliance, Analyst (CPMU-PMFBY), MoA & FW, GoI, New Delhi, who have delivered the topics on Over view of Crop Insurance programme –-PMFBY and RWCIA and Crop & Weather Insurance in India – Challenges and the Way forward respectively. The Webinar highlightened the following aspects like.
- Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and the Need for Crop Insurance
- Overview of Crop Insurance Programmes – PMFBY and RWBCIS (Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme)
- Types of Risks Covered and the Role of State Governments
- Dispute Management between State Governments and Insurance Companies
- Role of Insurance Companies in the Farmer Application Process
- Claim Calculation and Settlement Mechanisms
The rich experience and insights contributed significantly to the success of the sessions, providing participants with practical knowledge and policy-level understanding. The program received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Participants appreciated the:
- Relevance and depth of the content
- Clarity of presentations
- Quality of coordination and organization
Many participants shared real-world challenges faced by farmers due to adverse weather conditions, and emphasized the need for greater awareness and accessibility of insurance schemes.
Dr. M. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Director, EEI, has stressed the need for widespread adoption of crop and weather insurance in India. He urged all stakeholders to ensure that farmers benefit from insurance schemes to counter the effects of:
- Climate change
- Recurring disasters in agri and allied sectors
- Disturbances in farmers livelihoods
The webinar proved to be a significant step toward enhancing understanding, addressing challenges, and charting a collaborative way forward for crop and weather insurance in India. EEI remains committed to supporting such initiatives that safeguard the interests of farmers and contribute to the resilience of the agricultural sector
