Shekhar, DibyanshuKumari, Kavita2018-02-072018-02-072017http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810040525India is home to the fourth largest agricultural sector in the world while its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is comparatively low, but it provides employment to 56 percent of workforce and reduces poverty and food security and determines inclusive growth of the country. The state like Bihar is predominantly agrarian and agriculture engages nearly three-fourths of Bihar’s population. Approx. 90% farming community fall under small to marginal land holding. Most of the Village Level Workers (VLWs) posts are lying vacant. In the light of the fact the state government appointed the Agriculture Coordinator (about 2500) at panchayat level and Kisan Salahkar (about 7500) at village level to cater the farmer’s information need and assist the farmers to take advantages of ongoing agricultural developmental programme. The problem of this study is to carefully analyse and diagnose the training needs of the Agriculture Coordinators and Kisan Salahkar. Grass root level extension activities in state of Bihar mainly depend on Agriculture Coordinators and Kisan Salahkar. As field-level extension personnel, they come in direct contact with farmers and rural women to whom they introduce new ideas and practices, and address the needs for improved farming and family living in order to carry out their tasks effectively and successfully. The Agriculture Coordinators and Kisan Salahkar need to be well-trained and competent in their job responsibilities. This can be achieved through the provision of continuous in-service training. The present study has been planned to undertake following specific objectives: • To study the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of extension personnel. • To know the areas of competence of agricultural extension personnel. • To identify areas of training need of extension personnel in the study area. • To ascertain the relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the extension personnel in relation to their training needs. Samastipur district of Bihar was selected in view that which is Agriculture education hub of the state since many decades since the establishment of Imperial Agricultural Research Institute. Total 75 respondents were selected for this study, 20 Agriculture Coordinator out of 134 and 55 Kisan Salahkar out of 374 (approximately 15% adopting proportionate probability principle). Eleven most relevant independent variables i.e., Gender, Education, Age, Marital Status, Job Experience, Training Attended, Location of Deployment, Source of Information, Social Participation, Mass Media Exposure, Responsibilities were identified for the study. Dependent variables were Knowledge Level and Training Need. All the variables were measured under the set rules and procedures, with scale and schedules developed for the study. The study revealed that majority ofAgriculture Coordinator and KisanSalahkarwere found to be in middle age group. There were more male extension personnel in number than female. Majority of the respondent have their educational qualification as required by their job eligibility criteria. Mostly they were married and majority of them having 3-9 years of job experience. The study also revealed that majority of Agriculture Coordinator were trained.Whereas, majority of Kisan Salahkar were found untrained. Majority of Agriculture Coordinator and Kisan Salahkar were deployed in radius of 18 km from the Headquarter. Source of information used by Agriculture Coordinator wereBlock Agriculture Officer, KisanSalahkar and Kisan Diary,whereasKisanSalahkar obtained information through Agriculture Coordinator and with their colleagues. Agriculture Coordinator have more social participation as compared to Kisan Salahkar. Majority of Agriculture Coordinator and Kisan Salahkar were often found to use Agricultural Campaigns, Newspaper and Kisan Diary as a source of information. Perceived Knowledge Level of Agriculture Coordinator is always high as compared to Kisan Salahkar but actual Knowledge Level of Kisan Salahkar is high as compared to Agriculture Coordinator. Agriculture Coordinator perceived that there is more need to get training in the area of programme formation& execution, organization and administration, and social system and rural leadership as compared to Kisan Salahkar whereas Kisan Salahkar perceived the need for more training in the area of improved agricultural technology, communication skill as compared to Agriculture Coordinator It is evident from the study that Agriculture Coordinator expressed their potential in thematic areas of training such as critical irrigation time, weed management, storage, disease, improved equipment, marketing whereas for kisan salahkar storage, weed management, disease management needs were found to he emphasized more. On the basis of aforesaid findings, it is concluded that Agriculture Coordinator and Kisan Salahkar both group are known as para extension worker. They should be given appropriate regular training in all most all prominent area of agriculture.So that need based information would be disseminated among the farming community of the state in order to strengthen the agricultural base of the country.ennullThesis