Agricultural insurance practices in Turkey, problems faced and solution suggestions

This research study aims to determine the problems encountered in agricultural insurance practices in Turkey and to produce solutions for these problems, and in accordance with this purpose, the opinions of the insurance employees about the current status of agricultural insurance, its development process, the difficulties it faced, what needs to be done and targets were sought. In this research, a qualitative research design and the case model have been used. The data of the research have been collected from 5 insurance employees working in the agriculture department and having TARSİM experience. Data have been collected by interview method using a semi-structured interview form. Content analysis method has been used for the analysis of the data. The findings have showed that insurance employees consider agricultural insurance as a successful and exemplary developing sector in Turkey and they expect their success to continue in the future. This success of the sector has been based on state support. It has been determined that the most obvious advantages of TARSİM, which is an agricultural insurance application, are the wide variety of products in Turkey and the favorable geographical features of Turkey. The disadvantages of TARSİM are that it is new, the awareness of insurance has not yet been sufficiently developed and sufficient data has not been produced. According to the findings, it has been understood that the primary duty that the agencies are responsible for fulfilling is to provide the correct information and guidance of the manufacturer about the operation of the insurance system. It has been concluded that the primary goals of the agencies within the TARSİM system are to increase the current insurance rate by introducing the system, reaching farmers who have never heard of the system, and keeping in constant contact with the farmers. It has been found that insurance workers think that the COVID-19 epidemic has both positive and negative effects on the agricultural insurance sector. According to the findings, it was concluded that the most obvious benefit of agricultural insurance is to increase agricultural production by providing protection to the agricultural sector, to create employment in the sector and thus to contribute to both the economy and foreign trade. Insurance workers also predict that the agricultural insurance sector will develop in Turkey, the demand for insurance will increase and the insured areas will expand. Insurance workers are of the opinion that there should be more widespread and more advertising and promotion in these areas using primarily radio, TV, etc. for the verification of this stipulated and better promotion of agricultural insurance. In addition, it has been suggested to hold introductory and informative symposiums, meetings and coffee conversations.