Role assessment ofKVK’s subject matter specialist in transfer of technology

Abstract

Modernization of agriculture greatly depends on development of farm technology and its dissemination. There is rich agricultural technology available, but full use of it is not satisfactory in many parts of the country. The work of transfer of farm technology is mainly undertaken by the State Department of Agriculture, State Agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The Subject Matter Specialists of Krishi Vigyan Kendras play an important role in this regard. The Subject Matter Specialists on the one hand, are engaged in generating the knowledge, testing the technology, developing innovations and on the other hand, in communicating knowledge, technology and innovations directly or indirectly to the farmers and extension workers. The Subject Matter Specialists seek to reach the farming community through different extension teaching methods by giving proper treatment to technological massages. The present investigation was undertaken in the jurisdiction of Maharashtra state comprising 33 Krishi Vigyan Kendras having 153 Subject Matter Specialist. According to the study, it was observed that majority (62.75%) of the Subject Matter Specialists had medium role level and in respect of actual participation, cent per cent participated in the extension activities like demonstrations, training programmes and meetings for transfer of technology. The majority of the Subject Matter Specialists were involved in farm publications, farmers' melavas and exhibitions for transfer of technology. It was observed that in respect of farm publications, Subject Matter Specialists 'always' participated in implementation (92.16%) and planning (66.01%) while in case of newspaper, most of them were 'always' involved planning (90.20%) and implementation (67.97%) stage. Regarding radio programmes, majority (73.21%) of the Subject Matter Specialist had 'always' participated in preparation process and in case of television programmes, nearly half of the participants 'always' participated in planning, preparation and implementation process. In farmers' melava programmes, more than half of the participants had 'always' involved in planning, preparation and implementation process. In respect of exhibition, nearly half (50.98%) were 'always' involved in follow up process stage and in field day activities, 62.09 per cent respondents 'always' participated in preparation stage for transfer of technology. In case of demonstrations, majority (62%) respondents had 'always' participated in preparation and implementation process while in meetings, they had 'always' participated in implementation (64.71%) process. In case of training programme, majority (70.59%) participants had 'always' participated in planning for transfer of technology.