Impact of Skill-Based Training Programs on Performance of Small-Scale Poultry Entrepreneurs

Abstract

India is the world's fifth-largest egg producer and the eighteenth largest producer of broilers. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in India is fully functioning for application and demonstration of flagship technologies in agricultural and allied sciences, and to organize skill-based training programs for entrepreneurship development. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the characteristics of poultry entrepreneurs, dimensions of their established poultry enterprises and the impact of skill-based training organized by KVK on poultry entrepreneurs. An ex-post-facto design of social research was used to conduct a study. By using a random sampling method, 40 poultry entrepreneurs were selected as respondents for the study. Data was collected from sampled respondents by interviewing them personally. The study revealed that skill-based training organized by KVK made a good impact on knowledge gain and skill acquisition about different poultry breeds, debeaking, feeding, vaccinations, brooding and raising methods. A study reported high production efficiency and performance of poultry entrepreneurs. There was an increase in livelihood options, employment generation and annual income of entrepreneurs due to poultry farming. However, the monopoly of large-scale private industries in the supply of chicks, feed, and vaccination; and in deciding price, created threats to small-scale entrepreneurs. Therefore, the present study recommends that government agencies and line departments of States may take initiatives for deciding selling prices of poultry birds and that prices may be published in national and regional dailies. This will help to small-scale poultry entrepreneurs in sustaining enterprise during the slack season.