Supporting food security with rice farming insurance: The farmers' perceptions (case study in Cinta Damai Village, Percut Sei Tuan Subdistrict, Deli Serdang District)

Abstract

Rice, as the main food commodity in Indonesia, is expected to be fulfilled from national production. The Rice Farmers Business Insurance (AUTP) is one of the government programs to support national food production. The purpose of conducting this research was to analyse farmers' perceptions of the Rice Farming Insurance (AUTP) program and to analyse the impact of farmers' perceptions on farmers' participation in the AUTP program. Analyses were performed with the statistical descriptions, the Mann-Whitney Test, and the Kruskal-Wallis Test. The test results showed that rice farmers who were the AUTP program participants had very good perceptions of the program objectives, benefits, and implementation. Meanwhile, rice farmers who were not the AUTP program participants had moderate perceptions of the program objectives, benefits, and implementation. The perceptions of lowland rice farmers had a significant impact on the participation of lowland rice farmers in the AUTP program. Farmers who did not participate in the AUTP program tended to have worse perceptions of the program, while farmers who participated in the AUTP program tended to have better perceptions. Suggestions had been compiled so that the AUTP program can better support farmers in stabilizing and increasing rice production to maintain national food security.