فصلنامه بیمه و کشاورزی
سال سیزدهم شماره 49 (پاییز 1403)

In the current situation, analyzing the physical and economic efficiency of water in crops with the approach of reducing the risk of irrigation management is very important and has a special place. The aim of this research was to analyze water efficiency with two traditional and new (classical) irrigation methods in major agricultural crops of Hamedan city. The statistical population of the research was equal to 350 farmers who cultivated selected crops (garlic, wheat, barley, alfalfa, potatoes), of which 55 people were selected and interviewed according to the Cochran formula for the sample size. Sampling was done in a stratified random manner. The data was collected through interviews and the completion of a researcher-made questionnaire, the validity of which was confirmed by a group of specialists and experts in agricultural economics, irrigation and agriculture of the Agricultural Jihad Organization and the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Hamedan Province, and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis and in other words, water productivity in selected crops in farms has been calculated using non-parametric method and three indices CPD, BPD and NBPD. The results showed that potato, garlic, barley, alfalfa and wheat products had the highest physical productivity respectively. Potato has the highest productivity with 3.96 and 2.87 kg per cubic meter of water in modern and traditional irrigation systems, respectively. On the other hand, wheat has the lowest physical productivity with productivity of 0.62 and 1.18 in traditional and modern irrigation methods, respectively. According to the economic productivity index, garlic, potato, wheat, barley and alfalfa products had the highest productivity. In the garlic product, 8083 and 9028 million rials of profit have been obtained for each cubic meter of water in the traditional and modern methods, respectively. On the other hand, alfalfa with productivity of 31 and 42 thousand rials has had the lowest economic productivity in traditional and modern irrigation methods, respectively. According to the results, it is suggested that products such as garlic, which has the highest productivity, should be used in the development of cultivation in the region and replaced by products with lower economic productivity.

Human resources are the most important capital of an organization by which the strategies drawn in the organization are realized. Therefore, aligning the function of human resources with the goals of the organization will increase the efficiency of using resources, reduce operational costs, and increase the speed of exploitation of environmental opportunities. In this regards, the current research was carried out with the aim of determining the effective components and strategies for aligning the system of maintaining human resources with the aim of agility and digitization in the Agricultural Insurance Fund in 2023. This research, in terms of its purpose, is practical in which the exploratory mixed method has been used. was done in three phases that each stages was different thestatistical population. 1- First, by reviewing the theoretical literature, the effective components and strategies for aligning the human resources maintenance system with the goals of agility and digitization in the insurance fund were identified and then evaluated with the opinion of 14 experts. 2- Then, the status of using the aforementioned components and strategies in the Agricultural Insurance Fund was investigated, and the statistical population of this stage included 19 senior managers, heads and deputy directors of the Agricultural Insurance Fund. 3- Finally, the condition of the mentioned components was checked by 20 employees of the Agricultural Insurance Fund, from the level of experts to managers. At this stage, the data were analyzed using the open coding method and binomial test. In order to record the data of this section, a survey strategy and a researcher-made questionnaire tool were used. The effective components and strategies for aligning the system of maintaining human resources with the aim of agility and digitization in the agricultural insurance fund are: the micro-system of job design methods including four strategies (job specialization, job development, job enrichment, job cycle) and health and physical education methods including five strategies "prevention of accidents and wastes, suitability of job and employee in terms of physical, suitability of job and employee in terms of psychological, preventive measures in the field of health and physical education, necessary measures In order to maintain the health of employees and apply therapeutic measures" Examining the current situation of using the strategies of the human resource preservation system in line with the goals of agility and digitization in the Agricultural Insurance Fund showed that in the sub-system of job design methods, specialization and job enrichment strategies are significantly aligned with the agility of organizations in the Insurance Fund. Agriculture has been used. Also, in the sub-system of health and physical education methods, only the strategy of applying therapeutic measures has been used in a meaningful way in order to align with both goals of information technology. Therefore, in order to design the jobs of the agricultural insurance fund with the aim of agility and digitalization, the planners and policy makers can use the strategies of job development, job enrichment and job rotation.

This study explores the integration of blockchain technology into agricultural insurance, aiming to address several challenges within the industry, including low farmer knowledge, high administrative costs, and a lack of trust among farmers in insurance institutions. Blockchain technology is positioned as a means to enhance transparency, efficiency, and trustworthiness, offering a decentralized solution that records transactions in an immutable manner, thereby redesigning insurance products to better meet farmer needs. The methodology of the study involved consulting 15 experts to assess potential indicators of blockchain’s role in agricultural insurance during the year 2024. Using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), the synaptic weight of various blockchain features was calculated, highlighting their significance. The findings revealed that the most critical features included "Reducing Ethical Risks," "Accelerating Damage Claims," and "Transaction Transparency," with corresponding synaptic weights underscoring their importance in the development of agricultural insurance. Despite the promising potential of blockchain to revolutionize agricultural insurance processes, several challenges remain, such as scalability, energy use optimization, and regulatory concerns. The research emphasizes the importance of understanding how blockchain can create a safe, transparent, and efficient platform for processing agricultural insurance claims and suggests that smart contracts could facilitate immediate compensation for farmers’ losses. To fully realize the benefits of blockchain in agricultural insurance, ongoing research and development are necessary, particularly in enhancing interoperability and educating stakeholders about the technology's advantages. Overall, this research demonstrates blockchain’s significant potential in addressing agricultural insurance challenges while also calling for strategic actions to overcome existing barriers.

Water is one of the most valuable common natural resources, which, as a primary input in the production of agricultural products, holds a special place in the sustainable development of the agricultural sector and the economic development of other sectors. Increasing population, changing living standards, and recurring droughts are among the factors that have led to an imbalance between the supply and demand for water. Creating a balance between supply and demand requires proper and integrated management. Pricing water is one of the most important economic tools for managing the increasing demand for water in the agricultural sector. In this regard, the aim of this study is to determine the economic value of water in rice (paddy) production in Golestan province using a production function approach. The necessary data was obtained through the completion of 168 questionnaires from rice farmers in the province during the agricultural year 2022-2023. Based on the results, the Cobb-Douglas production function was chosen as the superior production function, with the partial production elasticity concerning water input estimated at 0.73, the marginal product of irrigation water at 0.51 kg, and the economic value of water estimated at 153 thousand rials per cubic meter. Considering the results, the price paid by farmers for water is approximately 4.33% of the economic value of water. Therefore, it is recommended that in order to ensure the sustainability of water resources and improve the sustainability of the agricultural production system, water pricing should be gradually increased based on the economic value of water, thereby facilitating the proper use of water and conservation of this input.

This study investigates the determinants influencing farmers' adaptive behaviors in response to drought conditions within Shushtar County, Khuzestan Province. This study was classified as qualitative research based on its applied purpose, causal-relational research in terms of its paradigm, and technical research. The research population consisted of all farmers in the area, from which a sample of 395 was derived using the Krejcie and Morgan table alongside a multi-stage sampling method with proportional allocation. Data collection employed a structured questionnaire, with its face and content validity confirmed by experts from the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, while reliability was established through Cronbach's alpha. The correlation analysis indicated significant associations between adaptive behaviors and several variables, including age, economic status, household assets, land ownership, livestock ownership, education level, access to market and extension services, access to weather information services, and availability of government resources. Notably, no significant correlation was identified between the household dimension and adaptive behaviors. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that three key predictors—access to weather information services, economic status and household assets, and education level—accounted for 49.3% of the variance in adaptive behaviors related to drought management. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aimed at enhancing resilience against the impacts of climate change and drought in the agricultural sector.

The Agricultural Insurance Fund, with a history of approximately 40 years, is one of the support organizations active in the agricultural sector, which has both an effective and a highly effective role in the conditions caused by natural crises and damage to the production units of the agricultural sector. Currently, the services of this fund are available to all farmers and producers in the agricultural sector throughout the country by issuing nearly one million and three hundred insurance policies, in the form of more than 2000 insurance tariffs to cover about 175 products and production activities in various agricultural subsectors such as crops, orchards, livestock, poultry, aquaculture, and natural resources, against destructive natural factors such as drought, frost and freezing, floods, storms, etc. However, the aim of this research is to examine and identify the adaptability capacities of the Agricultural Insurance Fund in dealing with various natural crises and hazards that threaten agricultural production. In this way, this economic and supportive institution can follow its organizational development path while maintaining the necessary readiness in crisis conditions and adapting to new situations. This present study is a qualitative research in terms of research paradigm, applied in terms of purpose, and exploratory in terms of research type. The focus group method was used to interview key individuals and knowledgeable sources in the field of agricultural insurance. The statistical population of this research consisted of 14 specialists and experts in the field of agricultural insurance who were purposefully selected using snowball sampling method. In the first stage, one open-answer question with the topic "What are the influential and challenging natural crises for the Agricultural Insurance Fund?" and three open-answer questions including "What are the infrastructural capacities, human resources, and financial resources of the Agricultural Insurance Fund in dealing with natural crises?" were formulated and provided to the members of the focus group. After discussion and exchange of ideas, the final list was prepared. In the second stage, this list was presented to the members of the focus group for consensus, resulting in the identification of a total of 32 indicators as measures of the adaptation capacity of the Agricultural Insurance Fund in dealing with natural crises within five categories ((including: technical capabilities, information database, innovative technologies, human resources, and financial capacities).

Natural hazards such as floods have a devastating impact on rural areas, particularly affecting farmers. This research aimed to analyze the knowledge and skill levels of agricultural communities in Karaj Township regarding flood risk management. The research employed a descriptive-correlational strategy. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by researchers, with validity confirmed by academic staff from the University of Zanjan and Tarbiat Modares University. The Cronbach's alpha test (coefficient of 0.91) confirmed the reliability of the measurement. The statistical population of the research included 1,188 farmers in Karaj Township affected by floods from 2018 to 2023. The statistical population of the research comprised farmers in Karaj Township affected by floods from 2018 to 2023, totaling 1,188 farmers. The Cochran formula determined a sample size of 112 farmers. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed and reviewed using the weighted score and the priority level of each item was identified. The results indicated that the technical knowledge of 82.1% of the study subjects in flood management was at an average level or lower, and the skills of 72.3% of them in flood management were also at an average level or lower. Moreover, the correlation test indicated a significantly positive relationship between farmers' flood management knowledge and their level of education, the number of support loans received, the amount of compensation from agricultural insurance, communication with farmers in their village and neighboring villages, participation in flood management extension-training courses, and the use of mass and electronic extension media in flood management. Their knowledge was also negatively associated with their age. Furthermore, farmers' flood management skills were directly and significantly related to agricultural income, annual income, support loans received, compensation from agricultural insurance, level of education, and household size. However, these skills were negatively associated with age. It is recommended to create job security, improve farmers’ social status, encourage their children to study agricultural fields and provide a platform for educated individuals to enter the agricultural sector.