Effects of Awareness Creation on Smallholder Crop Farmers' Willingness to Join Crop Insurance Schemes in Tanzania: A Case of Iringa Rural District

This study investigated factors affecting smallholder crop farmers' willingness to join crop insurance schemes in Tanzania: a case of Iringa rural district. Specifically, the study examined the awareness of the existing agriculture insurance schemes in the Iringa Rural District. The study's sample size was 88 respondents, where 73 were selected randomly while 15 were selected purposively. A descriptive survey design was applied, where simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to collect data. The quantitative data was analysed using (SPSS) version 21, where descriptive statistics analysis was performed by generating frequency distribution tables, as appropriate, based on objectives. In addition, correlation analysis was employed to examine the relationship between variables. The qualitative data was collected through interviews and was analysed thematically. From the result, the level of awareness has a positive relationship with the willingness of smallholder crop farmers to join crop insurance. Ensuring understanding of the existing agriculture insurance schemes among smallholder crop farmers increases the level of willingness of farmers to join crop insurance in the Iringa Rural District. Also, setting affordable crop insurance prices depending on smallholder farmers' ability to pay increases the willingness of smallholder crop farmers to join agriculture insurance. It was therefore recommended that awareness of insurance premiums be a continuous process since it increases the willingness of farmers to join crop insurance schemes