Beyond Awareness: The Mediating Role of Trust in Livestock Insurance Adoption in India

This study investigates the psychological drivers of livestock insurance adoption among farmers in Haryana, India, focusing on how trust mediates the relationship between perceived value and behavioural intentions. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour and trust theory, the research examines small and marginal livestock farmers across six districts. Using a carefully designed survey instrument, data was collected from 270 eligible farmers with awareness of insurance schemes, following strict ethical protocols. Structural equation modeling analysis reveals that perceived value significantly enhances both trust in insurance providers and adoption intentions, while trust itself emerges as a critical factor influencing behavioural intentions. Most importantly, the findings demonstrate that trust partially mediates the impact of perceived value on farmers' willingness to adopt livestock insurance. This study shifts focus from structural barriers to psychological drivers by highlighting trust as a mediator between perceived value and adoption intention. It provides novel evidence from rural India, integrating behavioural and trust theories to explain livestock insurance uptake.