Training Needs of Kisan Mitras and Assistant Technology Manager (ATM) in Agriculture and Allied Areas

Kisan mitra and Agriculture Technology Managers (ATMs) are the village level extension functionaries for the dissemination of improved technologies to the farmers. The need based training of Kisan Mitras and ATMs are essential for realizing transformation in the rural areas. This study was conducted to identify the training needs of kisan mitras and ATMs in the field of agriculture and allied areas. One hundred twenty kisan mitras and ATMs from the six blocks of Ramgarh district in Jharkhand viz. Mandu, Ramgarh, Patratu, Dulmi, Chitarpur and Gola were selected. Kisan mitras and ATMs from Ramgarh district were personally interviewed on a three point continuum as most needed, needed and least needed. Frequency, percentage and scores were used for the analysis of data. The study revealed that the kisan mitras and ATMs perceived, crop production and vermi- composting, public health and sanitation, seed production technology, medicinal plant growing, kitchen garden, soil sampling process, soil testing process and farm equipment management, as the top five most-needed training areas in the agriculture and allied sector. Further in animal husbandry, the kisan mitras and ATMs gave preference to processing of milk and financial management and feedings, breeding of cattle and buffaloes, health care of animals, and feed conservation techniques and water conservation techniques. While I agriculture particularly the most needed training areas were seed treatment, processing, IPM/INM, marketing. Majority of the kisan mitras and ATMs gave their choice regarding training duration, time of training and place of training as 5days, starting before season and in KVK Ramgarh respectively.