SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

CHAPTER VII

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Training is the process of assisting a person for enhancing ones efficiency and effectiveness at work by improving and updating his professional knowledge by developing skills relevant to his work and cultivating appropriate changes in the behavioral attitude towards work and people. Hence training is considered to be a vital component. The efficient training program is therefore one of the essential requirements for an effective organization.

Every organization needs to have well trained employee and experienced people to perform the activities that have to be done. Every modern management has to develop the organization through the human resources development. Employee training is the most important sub-system of human resources development. Training is a specialized function and also one of the fundamental operative functions for human resource development for the development of marketing. Training improves changes and moulds the employee knowledge, skill, behaviour, aptitude towards the requirement of the job and the organization. Thus, the training bridges the difference between job requirements and employee job specifications.

Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water Bodies Restoration and Management (IAM WARM) Project is going to be implemented in 63 River Sub Basins covering an ayacut area of 5.85 lakh ha at a cost of Rs. 2547 crores with the assistance of World Bank in Tamil Nadu during 2007 to 2013.

The project will be implemented over a period of six years from 2007 to 2013. To have an integrated approach, the line departments and their functionaries have been brought under convergence mode to support the activities enshrined in different components of line departments with the following specific objectives

• To identify the components of project activities proposed by development officials under IAM WARM project.

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• To identify the strength of the departments delineated above and the knowledge and skill level of development officials in the ex-ante situation.

• To identify the training needs of Development Officials and the training package if any enshrined under IAMWARM project.

• To identify the training gaps and the needs to fulfill the project impacts to be achieved during the post project situation.

• To find out the problems as perceived by the Development Officials to strengthen the training programme more effective.

A well structured and pre tested questionnaire was prepared for the purpose of data collection. The questionnaire covered training needs, content of training, knowledge and skill of respondents, educational status, duration, methods of training, training gaps, problems faced in implementation etc. Mailed questionnaire will be used for the purpose of data collection. The questionnaire will be mailed to all the 100 respondents. Ultimately the filled questionnaire received from 100 respondents will be subjected for statistical analysis.

Twenty were made as Members are there in the Multi Disciplinary Project Unit of IAM WARM Project. The members are guided and controlled by the Project Director with headquarters at Chennai. For this study, all the twenty Members of MDPU were selected in the first stage. In the second stage, the Heads of Line Departments numbering 8 being the Nodal Officers of Tamil Nadu State, all the 8

Nodal officers were also selected. Besides, during the first phase of operation of TN

IAM WARM project, the project activities are initiated only in the nine sub basins under 8 participating departments. In each sub basin, 8 implementing field staff were identified and selected in consultation with the Nodal Officer of IAM WARM Project covering 72 samples in the third stage following a Three Stage Purposive Sampling Technique covering a total sample of 100.

For all the respondents, a pre tested questionnaire containing both qualitative and quantitative questions were used for collection of data. The respondents were interviewed in person while they are attending the IAM WARM Day meetings. However, to get the response of Nodal Officers, the questionnaire has

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been mailed to them. In all, only 90 samples could be mobilized and all the 90 samples were considered for collection of data for the study

Primary data were collected from the sample respondents using interview schedule, which was developed meticulously. The data collected from the sample respondents included the general particulars like age, educational qualification of the respondents, income level, work experience, gender and marital status. The secondary data on activities implemented, number of training conducted, number of training attended, crop yield, impact and income details were collected from the records of annual reports of IAM WARM Project and are compared with the performance indicators identified for each activity in the sub basin.

In respect of general characteristics of respondents, the share of project implementing staff is arrived at 42.22 per cent to the total staff considered for the study. The respondents were found to be mostly post graduates.

Among the line departments, WRO being the nodal agency attracted 61.64 per cent of total outlay for Irrigation System Modernization followed by Agricultural Engineering Department shared 13.31 per cent of the total outlay for initiating developing and popularizing Micro Irrigation methods. The total ayacut areas taken up for Modernization are arrived at 2.94 lakh ha over a period of 2007 to 2013 for the nine sub basins. To sum up, among the total expenditure for nine sub basins during the year 2007-2008, tank system and anicuts attracted an investment of Rs.2851 lakhs which is accounted for 7.53 per cent to the total.

Though there were eight participating departments in the project activities under convergence mode, only Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has been considered for details of training conducted due to large number of activities under each department.

The details of training conducted by TNAU are furnished as follows.

• System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

• Aerobic Rice Cultivation technique (ARC)

• Production Technology of Maize

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• Production Technology of Oilseeds

• Cropping systems

• Precision Farming Techniques

• Organic Farming Practices and

• Exposure Visits to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and

• Good Management Practices (GMP)

Among the above trainings, System of Rice Intensification and Exposure visits to GAP and GMP each accounted for 20.22 per cent to the total number (89) of trainings conducted during 2007-08. Followed by Production Technology of Pulses accounted for 11.24 per cent to the total and the aerobic rice cultivation techniques and cropping systems each accounted for 8.97 per cent to the total number of trainings conducted.

In all, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University had conducted 89 trainings during the year of implementation (2007-08) with the officials numbering 6465 were trained in all the above enlisted training programs. Average number of participants per batch is arrived at 73. Though it is appeared to be high per batch, necessities forced the officials to attract higher number of implementation staffs. Based on the performance, one could see that the number of participants per batch cannot be a constraint in dissemination of knowledge at field.

The average experiences of line department officials were arrived at 21 years. Among the 21 years of experience, 18 trainings were attended by the officials. It revealed that on an average one training per year the officials had attended. In respect of IAM WARM Project, on an average, 4 trainings were attended to execute the tasks of IAM WARM Project. The share of trainings underwent in IAM WARM Project is accounted for 22.22 per cent to the total number of trainings attended.

Among the different income groups, the share of IAMWARM training is accounted between 22 to 23 per cent revealing no much deviation. It might be due to an exposure oriented training imparted for all the officials of line departments.

Around 96 per cent of the respondents revealed that they were relatively satisfied. It might be mainly due to the distortions among the participants. Around

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96 percent of the respondents revealed that the trainings offered were adequate and satisfied. Only 4.44 revealed that they were relatively satisfied. It might be mainly due to the distortions among the participant. Around 91 per cent of the respondents highlighted that the training attended had imparted confidence among them. However, 9 percent of the respondents were neutral mainly due to the effect of mind distortion.

The knowledge level was categorized into Average, Good, Sound and Excellent. Among these categories, Good level of knowledge was found among 38.89 per cent of the respondents followed by 35.57 per cent of the respondents were in possession of average knowledge with respect to IAM WARM Project tasks. Sound knowledge was also in possession with 23.33 per cent officials. From this, one could understand that, the officials were already working with similar tasks and hence good level of knowledge could be seen before attending the training program among the respondents.

Participant officials have gained sound knowledge accounted for 38.89 per cent followed by 27.78 per cent of the officials gained an excellent knowledge base to accomplish the tasks of IAM WARM Project. Department wise breakup of level of knowledge gained was found to be in favor of Multi Disciplinary Project Unit, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Department of Agriculture, and Water Resources Organization. Their knowledge level was mostly in should and excrescent level. Fig 2 illustrates the level of knowledge gained in detail to accomplish the tasks.

The trainings attended were more relevant (Very important) according to 53.34 per cent of the respondents followed by 40 per cent expressed that the trainings were important. Only 6 per cent of them expressed that the trainings are neutral (Relatively important) and less important. It is mainly due to the distortion effect among the participants.

To know the effectiveness of training, four attributes were considered. They were demonstrations, lectures, response visits and exhibition. Among the four, 50 per cent of the respondents have expressed that the Demonstrations were highly satisfied them in fulfilling their knowledge thirst. Whereas, 36 per cent of the

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respondents revealed that it has given satisfaction on demonstrating the technologies. Exposure visits found to be the next best had attracted the participants and 44 per cent of them revealed that the visits have given satisfaction and around 18 per cent reported that the exposure visits are not satisfied them due to the convergence nature of training where line departments too participate in the visits. With respect to the effectiveness of training, it is found that demonstrations and exposure visits alone could satisfy them mostly.

Up to 5 day’s duration of training was preferred by 46 percent of the respondents of highly satisfied group followed by 26.32 per cent satisfied with 5 days training. Between 6 and 10 days training was preferred by 34 respondents whom accounted for 37.78 per cent to the total.

Training was found to be effective only in respect of 42.78 per cent of the respondents, whereas 40.55 per cent expressed that the training found to be most effective. Here also one has to consider the responses as least effective in respect of 16.67 per cent of the responses.

Micro irrigation methods followed by Precision farming techniques, system of Rice Intensification and market linked extension approaches have scored between 4 and 5 revealing that these are need based and important to accomplish the tasks enshrined in the project. Training on Automation of Irrigation Infrastructure, Procurement Methods, Production Technology of commercial crops, value addition and export Leadership Management and Women Empowerment were found to be the second line needs scored between 3 and 4 revealing that these are important in respect of line department officials only. Training on Monitoring and evaluation of Projects and Documentation and communication methods, though these are important, it has scored the least which ranged between 2.70 to 2.90 revealing the status of neutral or no comments.

Institutional training was found to be sufficient in respect of 60 per cent of the participants. Whereas, 40 per cent of the respondents revealed that peripatetic training is the best one for fulfilling their needs, to have field applications. Hence

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institutional training accompanied with field study would be a better combination to enrich the knowledge of the respondents.

Around 45.56 per cent of the respondents preferred to have training abroad. Whereas, 26.67 percent of the respondents expressed their willingness to take up training in National Institutes like Indian council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at New Delhi, National Institute for Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) at Hyderabad. Whereas, 21 per cent of the respondents were willing to take up their training programs at Universities like Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University due to their commitments at official and family level. Only 6.67 per cent of the respondents were willing to take up trainings at City head quarters. It is mainly due to their family commitment alone. Hence, training organizers should have a plan for training abroad and National Institutions by establishing liaison with those institutes.

Among the various training methods, exposure visits shared cent per cent followed by Lecturers plus Audio Visual Aids plus field visits. Other than the method of Lectures + Audio Visual aids, all other methods were most demanded among the respondents.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University was the leading institution demanded among the respondents which is accounted for 31.12 per cent to the total. Followed by Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) was preferred by 15.56 percent of the respondents. At Project level, preferred institutions are TNAU, Administrative Staff College of India was considered to be the Principal Institutions for undergoing trainings.

Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s Four Level Model focuses on four fundamental elements of effective evaluation: reaction, learning, behavior, and results.

Reaction is a process where, evaluation at this stage measures, how well those who participate in the program react to it. This reiterates the need to ascertain levels of organizational resistance, adaptability to change and the change process. Respondents strongly agreed with the statements such as the organization is

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concentrating more on training activities, better understanding of others, accommodation facilities and support given by the department. It could be concluded that the training program on updating system of rice intensification skills had the positive influence on participant’s perception and showed attitude towards free hand training and they feel comfortable with the training program.

Learning is defined as the extent to which participants change their attitudes, improve knowledge, and /or increase skill as a result of attending the program. Officials were strongly accepted about the statements such as effect of the training benefits both individual and organization, training designed on updating Technical know-how of SRI attitudinal changes among the staff and imparts efficiency that will bring about development in the job performance and at field in future. This result concluded that the SRI training program facilitates the improvement of knowledge, skill and attitude oriented learning experience for better accomplishment of job that leads to enhancement in productivity.

Behavior is simply the extent to which behavior change occurred because the participants attended the training program. There was a good improvement after training (B) which scores 7.06 against the initial pre-training assessment (A) scores which is arrived at 4.83, and more importantly a stronger improvement when compared to the validated pre-trained ability (C to B). The result concluded that the trainees are able to transfer their learning skills into their working environment.

The final results such as increased production, improved quality, decreased costs, reduced frequency of spraying, severity of infestation, increased sales, and higher profits that occurred because the participants or officials attended the training program. The overall increase in paddy yield due to adoption of SRI Technology was found to be increased to a level of 28.30 per cent over its conventional yield.

The yield of Paddy in South Vellar sub basin found to be increased to 46.50 per cent over its conventional system, followed by Upper Vellar achieved an yield increase to a level of 36 per cent. Manimuthar sub basin also achieved almost equal share whereas, the highest productivity was achieved by Upper Vellar sub basin.

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They have achieved 7.14 tonnes of Paddy under SRI system of cultivation followed by Arjunanadhi earned Productivity of 6.38 tonnes of Paddy. All are possible due to training on SRI and adoption and spread of technology at field

From the Kirkpatrick Model of assessing the impact, the SRI training component found to influence the yield greatly.

Recommendations

The study at this level gives suggestions to policy makers to continue further research on training needs intensively among the line departments and increase the efficiency of officials working in different departments. Ultimately it benefits the farming community due to the convergence nature of technology and component of activities. It also gave pathway to further similar studies in different areas.

In respect of effectiveness of training, considerable number of respondents felt that the training found to be least effective. It might be due to the distortion effect among the respondents. However, one should not ignore. In this respect, the reasons for the least effectiveness need to be critically examined and appropriate strategies are to be framed to increase their perception on the positive side. Here, impact assessment immediately after the training should be conducted and the deficiencies should be sorted out and the gap should be merged by framing right strategies.

To execute the tasks on a convergence mode under a sub basin frame work, implementation and supervisory staffs and the decision making level staffs to be identified and they should be exposed to the recent developments in the international arena. Though IAM WARM Project has made a little effort in this regard, it is found to be inadequate and the number of batches should be increased with the staff who are found to be committed to the work.

Though there were demarcation of funds under the head of training and development, package of training was not identified and operationalized yet. This has to be prioritized and the training institution has to be identified suitably and the need based training package should be exposed with the duration of five to ten days.

Chapter VIII

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