Energising Fisheries Extension: Bridging Skills Gaps for Furthering Development in Haryana and Punjab

Abstract

A well-prepared workforce is fundamental to the success of any extension organization. Given the rapid
technological advancements, it's crucial to continually enhance and refresh the skills of human resources. This
study aims to recognize the training requirements of extension personnel within the State Fisheries
Department (SFD) in the states of Haryana and Punjab. An organized questionnaire was integrated into an
online survey and distributed to both headquarters and district departments. Besides descriptive statistics, the
Weighted Sum Method was employed to evaluate training needs, with the scores being standardized. In terms
of participation, fisheries district technical SFD staff from Haryana exhibited a 64% response rate, while Punjab
recorded a 60% response rate. Gender distribution showed that about 43% of district technical staff in Punjab
were female, while 11% in Haryana. Across both states, approximately 45% of the district technical staffs’ time
was allocated to extension-related tasks. Notably, the primary training needs identified for SFD staff in
Haryana included Better Management Practices (0.86), fish health management (0.83), and recent
advancements in aquaculture technology (0.83). In Punjab, the top training needs for SFD staff encompassed
fish nutrition and feed technology (0.85), fish health management (0.83), and recent technologies in
aquaculture (0.83). Therefore, it is advisable to develop training programs aligned with these recognized
needs to strengthen the extension system in both states.