The more you know: De-risking Odisha’s rice farmers by inspiring insurance uptake

by Veronica Mae Escarez

In Odisha, incentivizing farmers who seek knowledge about agricultural insurance can motivate them to enroll and then be de-risked from the effects of climate changez

In India’s state of Odisha, rice production amounts to about 11.9 million tons, dominating their total grain production of 14.1 million tons. Rice is widely cultivated in rainfed and is usually monocropped, making thousands of smallholder farmers vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and drought. In 2022, the state was flooded for almost a month after extensive rainfall, causing about USD15 million worth of damages to the properties of over 1,700 villages. Furthermore, in 2024, the state’s capital recorded a prolonged 39-degree Celsius heat, which has caused over a hundred deaths.