Awareness and training needs of officers of the department of agriculture in watershed planning

Abstract

A study was undertaken to assess the awareness and training needs of officers of the department of Agriculture in watershed planning. The study was conducted in five districts of Kerala. The respondents were the Junior Soil Conservation Officers (JSCOs) Junior Soil Survey Officers (JSSOs) of the Soil Conservation Unit and Agricultural Officers (AOs) of the department of agriculture. Total sample size was 100 of which 21 were JSCOs, 19 were JSSOs and 60 were AOs. A knowledge test and aptitude scale were constructed for the study. Data were collected with the help of a well constructed interview schedule which was pretested. The data thus collected were subjected to correlation, path analysis, multiple regression etc. to derive the results. The study revealed that more than 47 per cent of the JSCOs possessed high level of awareness in watershed planning. Majority of the respondents among the JSSOs and AOs possessed only low level of awareness in watershed planning. Majority of the JSCOs had high level of knowledge in watershed planning. Only 21 per cent of the JSSOs had high level of knowledge in watershed planning. Same was the case with AOs. Only 33 percent of AOs possessed high level of knowledge in watershed planning. Only 33 per cent of the JSCOs were having a high attitude score regarding watershed planning. About 22 percent of the JSSOs were in the high attitude group and the same numbers of respondents were in the low attitude group. Majority of the AOs were having low attitude score regarding watershed planning. Educational status, information seeking behaviour, training undergone and self confidence were positively and significantly related to the knowledge of the officials in watershed planning. Age and experience was found to have negative and significant relationship with the knowledge of the JSCOs only. Educational status, information seeking behaviour, training undergone and self confidence were found to have positive and significant relationship with the attitude of the officers towards watershed planning. Age was found to have negative and significant relationship with the attitude of the JSCOs and JSSOs towards watershed planning. Experience was found to have negative and significant relationship with the attitude of the JSCOs towards watershed planning. Self confidence had the highest direct effect on knowledge of the JSCOs in watershed planning and age had the highest indirect effect. Information seeking behaviour had the highest direct effect on knowledge of the JSSOs and training undergone had the highest indirect effect. Self confidence had the highest direct effect on knowledge of the AOs in watershed planning and information seeking behaviour had the highest indirect effect. Information seeking behaviour had the highest direct effect on the attitude of the JSCOs towards watershed planning. Highest indirect effect was that of age. Self confidence had the highest direct effect on the attitude of the JSSOs towards watershed planning and educational status had the highest indirect effect. Self confidence had the highest direct effect and information seeking behaviour had the highest indirect effect on the attitude of the AOs towards watershed planning. Variables experience, information seeking behaviour and job satisfaction had significant contribution to the knowledge of the JSCOs in watershed planning. Independently, only information seeking behaviour had significant contribution towards knowledge of JSSOs. Training undergone and self confidence had significant contribution to the knowledge of the AOs in watershed planning. None of the independent variables had significant contribution to the attitude of the JSCOs and JSSOs towards watershed planning. Only self confidence had significant contribution to the attitude of AOs towards watershed planning. Majority of the JSCOs perceived training need in watershed planning. A considerable number of JSSOs also perceived high training needs in watershed planning. But majority of the AOs perceived only a low training need in watershed planning. No significant difference in knowledge, attitude and training needs was observed between the JSCOs, but for awareness there was significant difference between these two groups. There was significant difference in awareness, knowledge attitude and training needs between the JSSOs and AOs and also between the JSCOs and AOs. Non-availability of demonstration plots for seeing the benefits of watershed management was the most important constraint in watershed planning as perceived by the JSCOs. But according to the JSSOs lack of awareness of the policy makers on the advantages of watershed planning and management was the most important constraint, whereas the AOs perceived inadequate training of the officers in watershed planning and management as the most important constraint.