TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT OF RURAL WOMEN IN LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT - CASE OF SOUTHERN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

A study was conducted in the Department of Agriculture Extension & Education, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan during the year 2011 to assess the training needs of rural women for different livestock production and management activities in district Bahawalpur (Southern Punjab, Pakistan). The results showed that majority (48.8%) of respondents belonged to middle age (35-50 years). The education level of rural women in the areas was low as more than half (53.6%) of them were found illiterate. An overwhelming majority (95.2%) of rural women in the area was found involved in caring of diseased animals/poultry birds among other activities. In assessing their training needs, the same area with maximum mean value (M = 3.765) was at the top with highest weighted score (448). The results also showed that husband/male head of the family was the main source of information for rural women (M = 2.408) with highest weighted score (301). The study recommends that short term training programmes in livestock care and management must be introduced for rural women under the umbrella of Livestock Extension Department so that they can contribute in a better way in national economy.