Profile characteristics of diploma in agricultural extension services for input dealers (DAESI) programme in Chikkabalapura district of Karnataka

Agri-input dealers serve as key sources of farm information for farmers, and the DAESI program is being implemented nationally to enhance their capacity as para-extension professionals. A study conducted in 2021-2022 in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka analyzed the profile characteristics of 60 randomly selected DAESI participants using personal interview method and appropriate statistical analysis. The results indicated that 55.00 per cent of the DAESI trained input dealers belong to middle age group, 40.00 per cent of them have perceived SSLC, Majority (88.33%) of them had more than 5 years of business experience, equally 40.00 per cent of them dealt with two type of inputs and three type of inputs, 45.00 per cent of them belong to annual income Rs. 50 lakh to 1 crore. Additionally, 46.67 per cent of the DAESI trained input dealers belong to medium level of social participation, extension participation (46.67%), mass media use (55.00%), cosmopolitanism (41.67%), achievement motivation (48.34%), leadership abilities (43.33%), risk orientation (46.67%), management orientation (45.00%) and deferred gratification (55.00%). Moreover, 40.00 per cent of them belong to high level of scientific orientation and entrepreneurial orientation, 46.67 per cent of them had favourable attitude towards training programme.