IMPACT OF TRAINING ON KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION OF SERICULTURISTS IN KOLAR DISTRICT OF INDIA

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1 Agric. Sci. Digest., 33 (4) : , 2013 DOI /j AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE / indianjournals.com IMPACT OF TRAINING ON KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION OF SERICULTURISTS IN KOLAR DISTRICT OF INDIA G. Srinivasa, Mukesh Gope*, A. Manjula and J. Somireddy National Silkworm Seed organization, Bangalore , India Received: Accepted: ABSTRACT The knowledge and adoption of mulberry sericulture technologies by the farmers was studied in Kolar district of Karnataka. The primary data were collected from the selected sample of 80 trained sericulturists with a structured schedule by using personal interview method before and after the training. The study suggests that the adoption of technology could be increased by motivation and conducting extension programmes such as Group discussion and Result demonstration. In addition study tours, refresher training programmes and confidence building steps would result in greater technology know how and adoption, this will have a positive spread effect in the study area. Key words: Knowledge, Adoption, Transfer of technology, Spread effect. INTRODUCTION The world production of raw silk currently stands at (2012) metric tonnes of which, India s share is about metric tonnes. Mulberry silk production is practiced in hectares in Karnataka. Karnataka a production of 8219 metric tonnes of raw silk during accounted for per cent of the country s total raw silk production (Anonymous 2008, 2009, 2010). Sericulture has made a clear impact on the farmers of southern states especially Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the last two decades. Further, efforts are made to develop the industry in non-traditional areas like northeastern states, to improve the economic status of the farmers. In spite of efforts made by Central Silk Board, the state department of sericulture and the Nongovernment organizations, the practice of bivoltine sericulture is not picking up in India in general and Karnataka in particular. Various studies conducted in this direction indicated that the socio-economic characteristics of farmers play an important role in adopting bivoltine sericulture than any other things. Hence, the present study was taken up with an objective of understanding the knowledge and adoption bivoltine cocoon production by the farmers in Karnataka. * Department of Sericulture, Jharkhand State, India MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted in Karnataka state. Kolar district was purposively selected for the study as it represents the district with high proportion of area under mulberry. Shiddlaghatta, Chintamani(both in Chikkaballapur district presently) and Srinivasapura taluks and from each taluk, three villages were identified based on the number of trained sericuturists. Thirty trained farmers each from Shiddlaghatta and Chintamani and 20 farmers from Srinivasapura taluk were selected for the purpose of collecting data. Thus, a total of 80 trained sericulturists form the sample of the study. The primary data were collected from the selected farmers on their personal and socio-economic characters, knowledge and adoption of sericultural practices, etc. with the help of a structured schedule by using personal interview method both before and after the training. The data were scored, tabulated and analysed by using percentages, the impact was studied technology wise by using the formula: Score obtained after training - Score obtained before training X 100 Number of respondents RESULTS AND DICSUSSION Impact of training on level of knowledge of sericulturists in Kolar district: It revealed that the knowledge level (Table-1) about the importance of

2 Vol. 33, No. 4, TABLE 1: Impact of training on level of Knowledge of sericulturist in different taluks of Kolar district.

3 296 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST sericulture practices improved among farmers due to training. The knowledge level was found to be 54.84% in case of incubation and loose egg brushing followed by disinfection (35.48%), mounting care (32.26%), bed cleaning (32.26%) and uzi control (32.26%) and cocoon harvesting (32.26%). The impact of training on the level of knowledge of different Sericultural technologies was studied. The study revealed that, there was a considerable change in the level of knowledge due to the exposure to training in sericulture. In Sidlaghatta taluk, the improvement in knowledge level was seen with respect to technologies like uzi control (67.74%), followed by rearing space per 100 dfls (32.26%), FYM and fertiliser (25.81%), cocoon harvesting methods (19.35%), leaf size for different instars (19.35%), plant protection (12.90%), nursery bed size (12.90%) and weedicide (6.45%). However there was no change in other important technologies indicted in the study. In Chintamani taluk the training impact was seen in technologies like uzi control (90.00%), FYM quantity (46.67%), fertiliser (36.67%), rearing house (36.67%), nursery bed size (33.33%), pruning (30.00%), cocoon harvesting methods (26.67%), leaf size for different stages (16.67%), mounting (13.35%), planting material selection (6.67%), weedicide (6.67%) and growth regulator (3.33%). The impact was seen in Srinivasapura taluk on the knowledge level of technologies such as mulberry variety (55.00%), nursery bed size (50.00%), plant protection (40.00%), pruning (40.00%), shoot rearing (40.00%), loose egg brushing (30.00%), paired row (15.00%), cocoon harvesting methods (10.00%) and planting material selection (50.00%). The pooled analysis revealed that the knowledge level was increased after training in the technologies viz., FYM quantity (44.44%), Uzi control (38.27%), plant protection (35.80%), mulberry variety (30.86%), nursery bed size (29.63%), rearing bed size (25.93%), pruning (16.05%), fertiliser (24.69%), incubation (14.81%), disinfection (13.58%) and leaf size for different stages (13.58%). However there was no change in the level of Knowledge of technologies like bed disinfectant, wrap up method, temperature and relative humidity at Chawki, usage of growth regulator, Srinivasa et.al., (2005) reported that the factors that contributed significantly for adoption were irrigated land, social participation, extension contact and cosmopoliteness. Impact of training on level adoption (full) of sericulturist in Kolar district: The impact of training on the level of adoption of different sericultural technologies was studied. The impact of exposure to training was studied prior to training and after the training. The study revealed that, there was a considerable change 1in the level of adoption due to training in sericulture. The technology wise impact of training on adoption showed that, there was a significant improvement in technology adoption after the training. In Sidlaghatta taluk, (Table 2), the technologies which were adopted after imparting training included disinfection (19.35%), leaf size for different stages (19.35%), cocoon harvesting methods (16.13%), uzi control (16.13%), shoot rearing (16.13%), biofertiliser (9.68%), paired row (9.68%), mounting (6.45%), mulberry variety (3.23%) and weedicide (3.23%), Geetha et. al., (2003) written that, there exists a gap between knowledge and adoption for all technologies except in the case of disinfection. Social and economic impact of bivoltine rearing (CSR hybrid) was clearly noticed in the study area. In Chintamani Taluk the technologies which were found adopted after imparting training included mulberry variety (36.67%), FYM quantity (30.00%), nursery bed size (23.33%), plant protection (23.33%), pruning (16.67%), paired row (13.33%), growth regulator (6.67%), uzi control (3.33%), rearing space (3.33%), cocoon harvesting methods (3.33%), mulberry variety (36.67%), paired row (13.33%), nursery bed size (23.33%), plant protection (23.33%), leaf size for different stages (13.33%), pruning (16.67%), fertiliser application (13.33%), paired row (13.33%) and planting material selection (3.33%). In Srinivasapura taluk the technologies, which were adopted after the training included Uzi control (80.00%), rearing space (70.00%), cocoon harvesting methods (60.00%), mulberry variety

4 Vol. 33, No. 4, TABLE 2: Impact of training on level of Adoption of sericulturist in different taluks of Kolar district.

5 298 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST (50.00%), paired row (15.00%), nursery bed size (35.00%), plant protection (35.00%), leaf size for different instars (35.00%), pruning (25.00%), fertiliser application (20.00%), paired row (15.00%) and planting material selection (5.00%), Chikkanna, et.al., (1995) also reported similar results in their study. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The usage of resources has increased yielding more additional output for every additional unit used in case of trained farmers. Hence the judicious usage of these inputs has to be encouraged through the efforts of extension. The adoption rate at farmers level could be increased by motivating farmers in group discussions, training programmes and by planning more and more result demonstrations at village level. In addition arranging filed study tours and training at grass roots will stimulate and build confidence in the farmers, which would result in faster technology adoption, Munikrishnappa, et.al., (1999), who reported that lack of awareness and non-availability of technological inputs were listed as the major constraints for technology adoption. Hence, the socio-economic characters may be considered apart from many other technical requirements before introducing a new practice or technology in seed areas. REFERENCES Anonymous ( ) Annual Reports-Central Silk Board, Banglore. Chikkanna, D.M. Anjaneya gowda, N.R. Singhvi, G. Srinivasa, M.N.S. Iyengar and R.K. Datta (1995) Study on adoption behaviour of sericulturists and their characteristics in Kolar district of Karnataka. Indian J. Seric, 35: Geetha, G.S., Srinivasa, G and N.B. Vijayaprakash (2003) Importance of characters of farmers in adopting and sustaining bivoltine race (CSR) A case study, National Seminar on Sustainable Sericulture, 1-2 nd February, Sugarcane Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Munikrishnappa H.M., K. Jagadisha and G. Srinivasa (1999), A study on knowledge and adoption of improved rearing practices by sericulturists in Mysore District. National seminar on tropical sericulture. Univ. Agril. Sciences, Bangalore, Dec th Srinivasa, G, Chengappa, P.G, Keshava Reddy, Lalith Achoth and Nagaraja, G.N (2005) Socio-economic determinants of Technology adoption in sericulture An analysis. Indian J Agric Econ. 60, Web site International Sericultural Commission.