Vol. 9, Issue 1, Part B (2025)

MANAGE has launched a program titled “Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI)” to enhance the technical competency of input dealers with a view to facilitate better advisory to the farmers. The program is conducted once in a week at the district level, spread over a period of one year covering various areas of agriculture, business ethics, extension, Acts and Regulations of agri-inputs, etc. As the program is being organised across 11 states of the country, it is felt necessary to learn about various aspects of DAESI. Therefore the present study was conducted in Kolar district of Karnataka during the year 2022 to study the opinion of Input Dealers about DAESI Programme. The study revealed that, cent percent of the input dealers gained overall knowledge and skills by DAESI program and they felt that this gained knowledge and skills were sufficient to give suitable advice to the field level problems of farmers. Regarding field visits conducted by DAESI program, majority 90.00 percent of them expressed most relevant and opinion on resource persons and facilitators indicated that, majority 91.11 percent of the input dealers expressed that quality of resource person in delivering the sessions was most relevant. Opinion about records and assignments indicated that, majority 84.44 percent of the respondents expressed problem-solving register was most relevant, 15.56 percent expressed relevant. Majority 98.89 percent of them expressed that they gained most relevant knowledge and skill in pest and disease management.