Climate Volatility and Agricultural Insurance: Addressing the Crisis in Kashmir’s Horticulture Sector

Furthermore, the incident highlights the role of political mobilization in bringing agrarian distress to the forefront of governance. When formal grievance redressal mechanisms fail to provide timely relief, farmers often rely on political pressure groups to demand policy interventions. For effective governance, there is a need to transition from reactive, ad-hoc compensation models to proactive, technology-driven insurance solutions. Integrating remote sensing, satellite imagery, and localized weather data can help in designing parametric insurance products that ensure faster payouts and greater transparency. Strengthening the supply chain and providing institutional support for storage and marketing are equally vital to insulate farmers from the shocks of climate change. Addressing these systemic gaps is essential for ensuring the long-term viability of the horticulture sector and the socio-economic stability of the region. UPSC Relevance: This issue is highly relevant for GS Paper III under 'Major crops and cropping patterns' and 'Government policies for development in various sectors.' Aspirants should focus on the limitations of existing crop insurance schemes and the potential for climate-resilient agricultural practices to mitigate risks in high-value horticulture zones.