Information Seeking Behaviour of Extension Personnel in Aquaculture Sector
Information Seeking Behaviour of Extension Personnel in Aquaculture Sector
Date
2012
Authors
Kumaran, M.
Vimala, D. D.
Raja, S
Alagappan, M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Society of Fisheries Technologists (India)Cochin
Abstract
Fishery extension personnel ought to be effective
information seekers to perform their role as
‘facilitators’ for accessing farm inputs, advisory
services and markets to the farming community.
Study conducted among the fishery extension
personnel of Department of Fisheries in Tamil Nadu
and Andhra Pradesh has indicated that hardly 50%
of them were information seekers and their information
seeking frequency was totally insufficient
(<50%). Printed publications, research wings of the
Departments of Fisheries (DoF), fisheries colleges of
State Agricultural Universities and Marine Products
Export Development Authority were the information
sources respectively for 46, 40, 36 and 30
percent of the extension personnel. Their low
information seeking behaviour was manifested in
their low awareness level (<50%) on the Better
Management Practices advocated. It is suggested to
evolve a National Fisheries Extension Mission to
restructure the DoFs and to integrate fisheries
research with extension functions. Alternative, cost
effective and rapid communication channels also
need to be explored for the mutual exchange of
information among the fishery researchers, extension
personnel and farming community
Description
Keywords
Aquaculture extension, information, communication, capacity building
Citation
Fishery Techn 49(1): 87-91