Impact of Skill Development and Training on Socio-economic Status of Sericulturists in Karnataka Rahmathulla V.K.a, Srinivasa G.b, Sathyanarayana N.a, Saratchandra B.a aCentral Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, BTM Layout, Bangalore-560 068, Karnataka bNational Silkworm Seed Project, Central Silk Board, Bangalore, Karnataka Online published on 10 September, 2013. Abstract An Intensive Bivoltine Training Programme was conducted at CSR&TI, Mysore during 2004–2007. This study was conducted to find the socio-economic status, knowledge level and adoption extent of improved sericultural technologies by the trained and for comparison, by untrained sericulturists in Karnataka. The primary data were collected from 60 trained and 60 untrained sericulturists from the same sites using a structural questionnaire. The study has revealed a for better socio-economic status of trained sericulturists than of un-trained sericulturists in terms of owning a separate silkworm-rearing house, better electric, road and irrigation facilities and access to bank credit. Similarly, the facilities available for silkworm-rearing, knowledge level, adoption of new sericultural technology and income from sericulture were higher in case of trained sericulturists. Because of higher income, the trained sericulturists could invest on construction of a rearing house (27%), expanding mulberry garden (22%), social functions (17%) and children's education (12%). The variables like age, education, extension contact, adoption level, etc. have been found to play an important role in influencing the investment in sericulture. The study has recommended such skill development training programmes should be orgainsed frequently for enhancing socio-economic status of sericulturists in India. Top Keywords Skill development, training, sericulturists, silkworm-rearing, technology adoption, Karnataka. Top |