6190 Training Need Analysis of Farming on House Terraces B. Binsa1 and G.S. Sreedaya2 ABSTRACT The study was conducted in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation of Kerala to analyze the training needs of farming on house terraces. The study was conducted in seven wards of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation namely Poojappura, Pettah, Manacaud, Kumarapuram, Karamana, Industrial Estate and Enchakkal. One hundred and five members of urban households involved in farming on house terrace, fifteen extension officials and thirty office bearers of selected residents associations of the selected wards were the respondents of the study. Considering the training needs of respondents on farming on house terrace, plant protection was the most preferred subject for training by the respondents. Keywords: Training need; Farming on house terrace; Urban agriculture; Kerala 1. P.G. Scholar and 2. Assistant Professor (Senior Scale), Kerala Agricultural University - College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Research Note Journal of Extension Education Vol. 30 No. 4, 2018 DOI:https://doi.org/10.26725/JEE.2018.4.30.6190-6194 Farming on house terraces is fast growing today among the city dwellers, which include not only vegetable cultivation but also poultry rearing, azolla cultivation, vermi composting etc., It is considered as one of the healthy hobbies to keep one happily engaged. This practice will also facilitate better space and resource utilization, household waste disposal, reduction in family expenditure, reduced pests and disease incidence, access to fresh and safe food products (Padmanabhan and Swadija, 2003). Farming on house terrace is also one of the base avenues where horticultural therapy can be practiced (Jules, 1986). P r o p e r training is essential for improving the quantity and quality of farming on house terraces. In this aspect, the relevance of the study arises. The results of the study will help in eliminating the bottlenecks in the present set up of farming on house terraces and help the planners, policy makers and administrators to further strengthen the practice of farming on house terraces. METHODOLOGY Training need was operationally defined as the perceived level of training need for farming on house terrace by the urban households of the selected wards from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. In the present study the training need of the respondents on different aspects of farming on house terrace were measured using average choice score method, which was developed by Bhatnagar (1984). In addition, their preference on method, frequency, duration and venue of training were also studied. The study was conducted in seven Received : 09-07-2018; Accepted : 11-03-2019 6191 wards of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in Kerala namely Poojappura, Pettah, Manacaud, Kumarapuram, Karamana, Industrial Estate and Enchakkal. One hundred and five members of urban households involved in farming on house terrace, fifteen extension officials and thirty office bearers of selected residents associations of the selected wards were the respondents of the study. On the basis of the response of the respondents, priorities based on I, II and III choices could be tabulated and can be identified as training need. Average choice score (ACS) = (CI x 3) + (CII x 2) + (CIII x 1) / 3 [CI – First choice, CII – Second choice, CIII – Third choice] FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The training need analysis was carried out and the results are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Training Need Analysis n = 105 Sl. No. Training methods ACS Preferences Method of Training Preferred 1. Demonstration 95 1 2. Group discussion 90 2 3. Film shows/any other visual aids like ppt 81.67 3 4. Case study 78.33 4 5. Field trip 64.67 5 6. Role play 62.67 6 7. Lecture (without any visual aids) 46.67 7 Duration of Training preferred 8. One day 100 1 9. Two days 91.67 2 10. Three-six days 41.67 3 11. One week 36.67 4 12. Two weeks 35 5 13. One month 35 6 Frequency of Training preferred 14. Once in six months 100 1 15. Once in a year 98.33 2 16. Once in two years 95 3 17 Once in two months 61.33 4 Training Need Analysis of Farming on House Terraces 6192 Method of Training Preferred by the Respondents Among the various methods of training, demonstration was the most preferred training method by the respondents (ACS = 95). This was followed by group discussion (ACS = 90), film shows (ACS = 81.67), case study (ACS = 78.33), field trip (64.67), role play (62.67) and lecture (46.67). Duration of Training Preferred by the Respondents One-day training was the most preferred duration of training by the respondents (ACS = 100). This was followed by two days training (ACS = 91.67), three to six days training programme (ACS = 41.67) and one week training programme (ACS = 36.67). Two weeks and one-month training Sl. No. Training methods ACS Preferences 18. Once in a month 60 5 19. Once in three years 50.67 6 20. Once in more than three years 43.67 7 Preferred Venue of Taining 21. Off campus 102.67 1 22. On campus 64 2 Training Subjects preferred 23. Plant protection 91 1 24. Preparation of botanical pesticides and fungicides like nicotine oil emulsion, neem oil emulsion and bordeaux mixture 89.67 2 25. Preparation of organic manures like vermicompost and cultivation of azolla 87.33 3 26. Preparation of potting mixture, time of sowing and time of transplantation 74.33 4 27. Manuring, usage of biocontrol agents like Trichoderma, Psuedomonas, PGPR mix-2 etc., and biofertilizers like Rhizobium, PGPR mix-I etc., 74 5 28. Irrigation techniques 47.67 6 29. Grow bag filling and their suitable placement in terraces 46.33 7 30. Selection of suitable crops and their varieties 44.67 8 (ACS – Average Choice Score) Journal of Extension Education 6193 programmes were preferred by 35% of the respondents. Frequency of Training Preferred by the Respondents A perusal of the table reveals that the most preferred frequency of training by the respondents was once in 6 months (ACS = 100). This was followed by once in a year (ACS = 98.33), once in two years (ACS = 95), once in two months (ACS = 61.33), once in a month (ACS = 60), once in three years (ACS = 50.67) and once in more than three years (ACS = 43.67). Venue of Training Preferred by the Respondents The most preferred venue of training was a convenient place nearby the place of the respondents (ACS = 102.67) which was followed by the venue at Agricultural college (ACS = 91.67). Training Subjects Preferred by the Respondents The most preferred subject of training by the respondents was plant protection (ACS = 91). This was followed by preparation of botanical pesticides and fungicides like nicotine oil emulsion, neem oil emulsion, Bordeaux mixture etc., (ACS = 89.67), preparation of organic manures like vermicompost and cultivation of azolla (ACS = 87.33), preparation of potting mixture, time of sowing and time of transplantation (ACS = 74.33), manuring, usage of bio control agents like Trichoderma, Psuedomonas, PGPR mix-2 etc. and bio fertilizers like Rhizobium, PGPR mix-I etc. (ACS = 74), irrigation techniques (ACS = 47.67), grow bag filling and their suitable placement in terraces (ACS = 46.33) and selection of suitable vegetables and their varieties (ACS = 44.67). The finding is in confirmation with the findings of Sreedaya (2004) who reported that ‘plant protection’ was the most preferred subject for training by the urban housewives. Even though lots of efforts and measures were being implemented in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on farming on house terraces, they were not successful in proper follow up activities. The enthusiasm showed in the initial establishment faded away later. These agencies also failed to impart training after identifying the training need analysis. By ensuring frequent training programs along with improved techniques, the constraints faced in terrace farming might have been controlled to a great extent. Plant protection was the most preferred subject for training by the respondents. It is an important aspect in farming on house terrace. Most of the respondents were worried about the pests and disease attack on their plants and were anxious about crop loss. Proper crop protection is very much essential to produce high quality crops with minimal wastage and maximum output. That might be the main reason behind the preference of ‘plant protection’ as the most preferred subject for training by the respondents. Preparation of botanical pesticides, bio pesticides and organic manures were also most preferred areas of training for the respondents. Health consciousness of the respondents might be Training Need Analysis of Farming on House Terraces 6194 the reason for their preference to get trained on these areas. REFERENCES Bhatnagar, O.P. (1984). Evaluation Methodology for Training. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 310p. Jules, J. (1986). Horticultural Sciences. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, 746p. Padmanabhan, V. B. & Swadija, O. K. (2003). Promotion of terrace farming for sustainable agriculture in homesteads – An integrated approach National Workshop on Homestead Farming, March 6-7, 2003. Farming System Research Station, Kottarakkara. Abstract:53p. Sreedaya, G.S.(2004). Promotion of terrace cultivation of vegetables by urban housewives- An action Research, Unpublished Ph.D Thesis. Kerala Agriculture University, Thrissur 148p. Journal of Extension Education