Food Crop Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in
Market-Based Crop Insurance Scheme: Evidence from
Ghana
George
The study assesses food crop farmers’ willingness to participate in market-based crop
insurance scheme in the Kintampo North Municipal of Ghana, using primary data solicited
from 120 farmers in April 2010. The study employed descriptive statistical techniques to
analyze the social, economic, demographic characteristics of farmers as well as their current
risk management practices. Further, farmers’ willingness to participate in a hypothetical
market-based insurance scheme was estimated using the contingent valuation method. The
results reveal that the mean willingness to pay premium for a hypothetical loss of GH¢ 1,000
of farm income is GH¢24.43. The minimum and maximum willingness to pay premium, in
the insurance scheme are GH¢5.00 and GH¢80.00 respectively. The empirical results of the
Binary Logit Model reveal that farm size, family size and diversification via livestock are
factors that influence farmers’ willingness to participate in crop insurance. Recommendations
drawn for consideration by Government of Ghana (Ministry of Food and Agriculture), policy
makers, insurance companies, development organizations and non-governmental
organizations in rural poverty reduction are that the design and implementation of any crop
insurance scheme in the Kintampo North Municipality and areas with similar characteristics
should consider critical factors such as family size, farm size and livestock activities in the
design. Further, a weather index-based insurance product should be piloted especially for
droughts and floods while considering the current risk-management strategies employed by
farmers. It is imperative that the Government subsidizes this program in the initial stages to
encourage participation in the form of providing weather station equipment that would enable
insurance companies to effectively validate liability claims by farmers.