Identifying and Ranking the Effective Factors on Farmer's Satisfaction of Rice Crop Insurance in Mazandaran Province; the Application of Analytical Hierarchy Process Approach

The present study aimed to identify and rank the factors influencing the farmers’ satisfaction of rice crop insurance in Mazandaran Province during the crop year 2011-2012. The required data is obtained through 82 questionnaires completed by selected expert and leading farmers in different townships of Mazandaran. In this study، at first، t-test is used in order to identify factors affecting farmers'' satisfaction of the crop insurance and then Friedman test and analytical hierarchy process approach (AHP) are applied to rank the mentioned factors. The results of t-test show that the premium and supportive facilities، the amount of compensation، the quality of received services، the prestige of Bank-e-Keshavarzi، farmers’ commitment to Bank-e-Keshavarzi، and responding to complaints have affected the rice producers’ satisfaction of the crop insurance. Also، according to Friedman test and AHP technique، premium and supportive facilities and the amount of compensation have the highest priorities، while responding to complaints and the prestige of Bank-e-Keshavarzi have had the lowest ranks. Based on the study results، receiving premium by installments، paying the actual value of losses at the appropriate time، and improving service quality through modifications and diversification in services and human and nonhuman factors should be considered as major priorities to satisfy farmers. Moreover، policyholder participation in bank programs as well as bank accountability would play an important role in farmers'' satisfaction of crop insurance.