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Krishi Vigyan Kendra provides training to various stakeholders as a means of delivering technology. As a profession, the KVK professionals should have the holistic understanding and appropriate perception towards objectives of extension education. The objective of study was to analyze the perception of KVK professionals towards objectives of extension education. The study was conducted during March-August, 2021 using structured questionnaire. The sample of the study included 150 KVK scientists from 145 KVKs spread over 24 states and Union territories. The study assessed the perception of the KVK professionals towards the objectives of Extension. This Perception towards objectives was measured by using 5 point continuum on Liker scale with the help of 34 statements. The objective "Communicating the research information that is useful for economic and practical purposes" scored first rank with 66.67 weighted mean score and also revealed that majority of KVK professionals were having favorable Perception regarding objectives (74.67%) of extension followed by equal number of respondents (12.66%) were having both highly favorable and unfavorable perceptions towards objectives of extension. Additionally, it was shown that information seeking behaviour had positive and significant relationship with the perception of KVK professionals regarding objectives of extension education. Step-wise regression model revealed that information seeking behavior contributed about 2.70 per cent of total of variances in perceptions toward objectives of extension. Hence, it can be concluded that KVK professionals need to have favourable perception towards objectives of extension for executing mandates of KVK more successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is spending huge amount of resources on agricultural training in general and animal husbandry training in specific but scanty research findings indicate actual impact of those training programmes and hardly any study accounted for selection bias while assessing impact of those training programmes. This study, therefore proposed to assess the impact of dairy farming trainings imparted during the duration of 2014-2016 by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) (Farm Science Centre) under ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. Data were collected from 80 trainee farmers and 240 non-trainee farmers on various aspects, i.e. their knowledge on scientific dairy husbandry practices, adoption of various scientific dairy husbandry practices in the field condition, attitude towards dairy farming, yield from dairy and profitability from scientific dairy farming. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the probability of participation in training programme. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) 1:1 was then used to control for the confounding variables which may affect the decision of trainees to participate in the training programme. Total of 76 matches were found and as such, the same number of trainee and non-trainee farmers were finally included in the study. The results revealed that the training programmes had significant impact on knowledge level on scientific dairy husbandry practices, better adoption of scientific animal husbandry practices and higher yield from dairy farming. Similarly, the trainings significantly and positively impacted on profitability from dairy farming. However, no significant impact of training on overall attitude of trainees towards scientific dairy farming was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted among the Front Line Demonstration (FLD) farmers of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district. A list of FLD beneficiary farmers from KVK in Uttar Kannada district was collected. Thirty FLD beneficiary farmers among areca nut and pepper growers were selected by purposive random sampling method forming a sample of 60 farmers. The study observed that over 50 per cent of the farmers had knowledge of frequently occurring diseases and pests such as koleroga (100 %), crown root (56.67 %), mites (56.67 %) and root grub (63.33 %) in areca nut. An increase in adoption was recorded with respect to button shedding and spindle bug. Similar results were observed in the case of pepper where farmers had good knowledge of pollu beetle and slow wilt. Higher adoption was observed with respect to the management of thrips and stem borer in pepper. Frontline demonstration of KVK had a remarkable influence on farmers’ knowledge regarding the use of improved pest and disease management practices in areca nut and pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in the state of Kerala to analyse the training needs of 100 trainees of five Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK). The findings indicated that the packaging & marketing of mushroom and post harvest handling value addition were the most preferred training areas by the KVK trainees in mushroom production. In apiculture, honey extraction essential operations was perceived as the most needed area of training. In the area of value addition of fruits and vegetables, technology upgradation and packaging marketing techniques were the most preferred areas by the trainees. Relational analysis revealed that socio-economic variables like educational status and annual income, communication variables like extension contact and mass media exposure and entrepreneurial variables like entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial need, entrepreneurial capacity, innovativeness, achievement motivation, decision making ability, risk orientation, self confidence, cosmopoliteness and economic motivation were found positively and significantly correlated with training needs. The KVKs should take concrete efforts to organize need based entrepreneurship development training programmes to improve effectiveness.

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) are one of the most vital establishment pledged for the dissemination of farm technology in the grass root level. The present study was conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kollam, Kerala with 75 respondents, 15 each from five major vocational trainings organized at the KVK during the last five years. The trainees were personally interviewed with a well-structured and pre tested interview schedule. The present study on attitude of respondents revealed that more than half of the total beneficiaries have higher positive attitude towards the KVK.

An android-based mobile application, viz. KVK Mobile App has been developed to facilitate farmers by providing vast amount of knowledge generated at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (s). Farmer has to register into this app and select the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) which is located in the district to which the farmer belongs. The registered farmers can access package of practices for crops and animals developed by the KVK. Farmers can send any farm related query to the experts available in the KVK and get resolution of their problem through this app. The mobile app contains details of information on facilities available at KVK for farmers. Information on past and future events of KVK is available through this application. There are provisions in the app to access agro meteorological advisory and market price of agricultural commodities. This mobile app can be very useful particularly for the farmers who often find difficulty in reaching to the KVK physically due to geographical constraint. This app can be downloaded from Google Play Store as well as from KVK Portal (https://kvk. icar. gov. in/). This mobile app can be used as an add-on to the extension system established between KVK and farming communities for enhanced communication.

Training need assessment has always been an important area in the designing the capacity development programme for the extensionists. It helps to make the extensionists updated, upgraded and competent in their field. Training need using Borich Need Assessment Model was carried out in the four zones of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) to assess the communication competencies of the extensionists. The zones of KVKs were selected using simple random sampling without replacement method. From each zone, 20 KVKs were selected randomly and 3 extensionists from each KVK were selected by using simple random sampling technique. The total sample size was 240. Mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS) was used to study the training needs. The results of the study indicated that the highest level of training need was expressed in their ability to use computer (Internet) and PowerPoint presentation followed by their “ability to prepare visual aids to help deliver information” while lowest mean weighted discrepancy score was given to their ability in presenting the seminar. Kruskal wallis test was carried out to find the differences among the zones of KVK. Attention should be given to designing inservice training programmes which can adequately address the present training needs of the extensionists.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the emerging driving forces to disseminate the agricultural knowledge. Skilled extension personnel can grab these opportunities for the diffusion of agricultural technologies to farming community. Therefore, the present investigation measures E-skills among agricultural experts of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) — Farm Science Centers in Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India. Data were solicited from 87 proportionately selected agricultural experts from 29 KVKs. E-skills of experts were measured on 5-point Likert-type scale. The high level of E-skills among agricultural experts were identified in internet browsing, e-mailing, Micro-Soft (MS) Word, MS Power-Point and mobile use for sending the text messages. The agricultural experts' training on ICTs had a positive and significant relationship with E-skills while experts' age had a negtive effect. Elementary in use of ICT, analytical use of ICT, use of mobile phone for information communication and use of ICT for mass communication were the major factors that governed the E-skills. The total variance explained by these factors was found 74.88%. Tactical E-skills, informative E-skills, formal E-skills and communicative E-skills were identified as important levels of E-skills in order of their expertise. Hence, the study recommends to encourage the young professionals and to impart more ICT based trainings for improving the E-skills of agricultural experts towards tactical level of E-skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out in Tamil Nadu and Kerala during 2014. Three Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) each, functioning under state university and NGOs from each state were selected. A total of 65 subject matter specialists from selected KVKs constituted the sample. The working environment of subject matter specialists was assessed through people’s participation, team work, job satisfaction, work load and job stress. In people’s participation more than 60.00 per cent of the respondents were satisfied in the effort in implementation of extension programmes by the farmers, interest of farmers in extension work, acceptance of technology and local response by the farmers. In team work component majority of the respondents were satisfied with confidence in delegated authority, appreciative attitude of colleagues, mutual desire to give and take and procedural design to work together. Majority were satisfied with professional social prestige followed by salary, job authority, leave facility and facilities in job satisfaction aspect. Responsible for helping others, work area (office) is too crowded, working conditions being not as good as the working conditions of others, job being too easy were not a source of stress. Respondents expressed that the work load was optimum at office and field respectively. Highly significant positive relationship was noticed between satisfaction with people’s participation and team work; team work and job satisfaction; job stress and work load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated farming system (IFS) is considered as one of the best option towards intensification of small holder farm income to ensure sustainable livelihood. Integration of resources is made through a combination of land, water and animal resources of a farm through careful planning including recycling of bio-resources. Governments and development agencies have designed projects/programmes in promoting IFS through demonstration of successful models and other means. Integration of resources is a process which involves great thought in investing in one of the resource combined and gaining benefits. This paper entails information on IFS adopted farms by analyzing three cases promoted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra-Khordha under ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture mandated to work on technology assessment, refinement and demonstration. All the IFS analyzed are pond based integrations involving crop-livestock and fish as major with minor integrations of enterprises like mushroom cultivation. The gross income of case 1 farmer was found to be Rs 5,19,600 from 0.8 ha in a pond based farming system followed by case 2 earning Rs 3,75,920 ( gross income) from an area of 1.872 ha crop based farming system and Rs 1, 50, 300 ( gross income) from an area of 0.8 ha crop based farming system adopting. The details of the case studies and economics are presented and these model farms play a great role in motivating nearby farmers in adoption of IFS. The study also concluded that adoption of IFS is profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]