Role Performance of Trained Input Dealers as Para Extension Workers in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Timely agro advisory services one of the critical inputs for scientifi c farming. Agro advisory service is provided to farmers through public or private extension system. In the rural domain, agri input dealers are very close to farmers in providing extension services to the farmers. The fi rst contact point is the agri-input dealer for majority of farmers. However, majority of these input dealers do not have technical knowledge on Agriculture. Hence, the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) launched an innovative program namely, “Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI)” with the motto of transforming these input dealers as para extension workers. An Agri input dealer plays multiple roles at a time by providing seeds, fertilizers or pesticides in advance without taking cash, it acts as fi nancing body. Considering the importance of role of input dealers in agro-advisory services, the present study on role performance of agro input dealers in advisory services was conducted by taking 60 trained and 60 non trained dealers randomly from 3 districts of Andhra Pradesh. The fi ndings of the study revealed that majority of trained input dealers had high role performance, followed by medium and low role performance towards agro-advisory services where as non-trained dealers’ majority were under medium role performance, followed by low and high. The diploma programme had contributed to good (high to medium) role performance of the input dealers and might be due to their change in knowledge, skills and attitude during the diploma programme.