Training Needs of Horticulture Extension Personnel in Jammu Region of J&K State, India

Effective extension work depends upon competent and well-trained extension personnel. Horticulture extension personnel (Horticulture Development Officers and Horticulture Technicians) occupy the focal position in transfer of technologies to the orchardists in Jammu and Kashmir. Given this a study entitled “Training needs of horticulture extension personnel in Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir” was undertaken. Data was collected from 200 horticulture extension personnel (30 horticulture development officers and 170 horticulture technicians) working at gross root level in all ten districts of Jammu region. Training need important score was categories in to three categories viz. least important, important, most important by using mean ± S.D technique. The finding reveals that horticulture development officer and horticulture technicians’ categories Pests /disease identification and their control measures as most important training areas in technical skills where time and methods of planting was placed as least important. Similarly in case of communication skills demonstration technique was rated highest important training need area and script writing as least important. Motivation technique and programme planning were also categories as most important training need areas of supervisory skills by horticulture development officers. Two factors viz. trainings attended and information utilization sources were significantly affecting the training needs of horticulture extension personnel.