COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR OF SCIENTISTS OF KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRAS OF WESTERN INDIA 3623
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Date
2022-10
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JAU JUNAGADH
Abstract
The agricultural information is vast, interdisciplinary and specific to different
agro-climatic zones and needs a proper information dissemination system for its
effective use. Hence, agriculture information resources should be significantly
organized and processed to disseminate right information to the right users at the right
time. The information need of the farmers is diverse and they also searching different
sources for getting information on agriculture and scientists of KVKs were found as
one of the important sources of knowledge of the farmers. Communication is
recognized as an important input for development to disseminate and create dialogue
among different stakeholders about the technologies and issues of agriculture,
environment and sustainable development. A Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is an
agricultural extension center which the name means “Farm Science Centre”, usually
serves as the ultimate link between the research stations and farmers which aims to pass
on information in a practical in a localized setting. With this consideration, the problem
entitled “Communication behaviour of scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendras of Western
India” was undertaken.
A study was conducted in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa states. All
the KVKs of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa were purposively selected for
the study. Considering the total number of KVKs in Western India, 160 respondents
were selected for the study.
With respect to personal characteristics, more than two-third (71.25%) of the
KVK scientists belonged to middle age group, more than half (51.25 per cent) had
education up to masters, nearly half (46.25%) had moderate job experience, more than
two-fifth (44.38%) had low training exposure, more than two-fifth (43.13%) had
medium level of perceived workload, more than two-fifth (44.37%) were found in the
high job satisfaction group, more than two-fifth (44.38%) fall under high organizational
climate category, nearly two-fifth (39.37%) had high job performance, nearly two-third
(62.50%) of the respondents had medium scientific orientation, nearly two-third
(64.38%) medium level of innovativeness, that nearly two-third (63.75%) of the
respondents had medium level of achievement motivation and nearly two-third
(70.63%) of the respondents had medium level of favorable attitude towards ICTs.
ii
Nearly two-thirds of the respondents (63.13%) were found under medium
category of information input behaviour, more than three-fifth (61.25%) were found
under medium category of information processing behaviour and more than half of the
respondents (55.00%) were found under medium category of information output
behaviour. Nearly three-fifth of the respondents (59.38%) were found under medium
category of overall communication behaviour.
The characteristics of the respondents like training exposure and attitude
towards ICT had positive and highly significant relationship with their communication
behaviour. The characteristics of the respondents viz., age, education, job experience,
job satisfaction, organizational climate, job performance, scientific orientation,
innovativeness and achievement motivation had positive and significant relationship
with their communication behaviour. Perceived work load of the respondents had
negative and significant relationship with their communication behaviour.
Eleven of the independent variables screened for the path analysis which had
positive and direct effect on communication behaviour of KVK scientists revealed that
trainings received (X4) had highest direct effect on communication behaviour of KVK
scientists, followed by attitude towards ICT (X11) and education (X2).
With respect to total indirect effect of the selected characteristics on
communication behaviour of KVK scientists, it was found that trainings received (X4)
ranked highest, followed by attitude towards ICT (X12) and scientific orientation (X9).
Further, it’s evident from results that first largest indirect effect channelled was through
trainings received (X4) in case of variables namely age (X1), job experience (X3), job
satisfaction (X6), job performance (X8), innovativeness (X10), achievement
motivation (X11) and attitude towards ICT (X12).
The KVK scientists indicated greater need for training in respect of
communication methods: Conducting demonstrations and about the training in
presentation skills: Effective preparation of presentation. Regarding training related to
visual aids: Designing power point and concerned to the training in preparation of
communication literature: Technical writing. In respect to training related to ICT’s:
Website design and regarding training related to mobilization farmers: Motivating
farmers was very important.
The most important constraints faced by scientists were: Inadequate staff leading
to heavy workload, lack of proficiency in handling ICT tools, insufficient funds and
less contingencies to the KVKs, inadequate transports facilities to visit the farmers’
fields and poor connectivity of internet to disseminate crucial information.
The most important suggestions from the respondents were: Sufficient staff
required at the KVK to avoid workload, relevant trainings should be organized for
scientists for development of skills in usage of modern ICT tools, sufficient funds
should be provided and released timely for the KVKs, more vehicle facility especially
for carrying extension activities and also for mobilizing farmers from villages and more
farm visits should be included during workshops