Assessing training needs of goat farmers of Punjab for better execution of extension programmes

Abstract

Present investigation was carried out to assess the training needs of goat farmers of Punjab by randomly selecting 240 goat farmers from all the six agro-climatic zones of Punjab state (40 farmers from each zone). The goat farmers were personally interviewed with the help of interview schedule at their doorstep. A total of 69 questions related to feeding, housing, breeding, health and management and miscellaneous practices were compiled. Data analysis revealed that knowledge indices about various farming practices in different agro-climatic zones of Punjab were significantly different at P< 0.05, suggesting that knowledge about different goat farming practices varies from one agro-climatic zone to other. The ranking order for feeding, housing, breeding, health and management and miscellaneous practices for Punjab were IV, I, II, III and V. The reported training need order of Punjab is housing, breeding, health and management, feeding, miscellaneous practice, and for order I, II, III, IV and V. The present study brings light to the fact that knowledge level and training needs varies from one zone to the other. The training need assessment of goat farmer belonging to a particular area should be carried out first before organization of extension activity related to goat farming.