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Top Careers in Agriculture
There’s more to a career in agriculture than just being a farmer (although, of course, that is also a very viable career option for those looking to get into the field).

So, if you’re looking to work in agriculture, but don’t know what careers are available to you (and what you need to study to get them) look no further, as we will explore the top careers in agriculture today., and the skills you need to succeed in these roles.

Agricultural engineer
As an agricultural engineer, you will seek to improve current farming methods, designing new equipment and machinery using computer aided technology (CAD). You will also use data from the weather and GPS to advise farmers and businesses on land use, assessing the impact of the current processes on crops and the surrounding environment. In this role you may also get to supervise agricultural construction projects.


For this role you will need to have a strong grasp of mathematics, science, and problem solving, as well as being creative and able to communicate effectively.

Agricultural economist
In your role as an agricultural economist, you will apply microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts and theories to understand economic decisions, such as why shoppers make certain decisions about the food they buy and how the government chooses how to support farmers. You will be analyzing economic data to find and determine trends in economic activity.

Some agricultural economists spend their time in an office, performing calculations and analysis on a range of data. Others spend their time in the fields, surveying land, interviewing farmers and performing research.


Agricultural economists mainly work independently, but may have to collaborate with other economists, farmers and statisticians. An economics degree is preferable for those wanting to become an agricultural economist. A strong grasp of mathematics is vital for this role, and you must be able to analyze and interpret data effectively and present it in a clear and efficient way.

Farm manager
As a farm manager, your role will be to oversee the running of the farm and make business decisions whilst keeping within budget parameters. You will arrange the maintenance and repair of farm buildings and equipment, market the farm’s products and ensure that they are ready in time for markets and auctions. On top of this you will ensure that all processes comply with government regulations and that health and safety standards are applied at all times.

For this role, you will need previous experience in hands on farming, as well as technical knowledge, as the role will require you to work in hands on tasks as well as administrative tasks. Most farm managers also have an agricultural related degree, such as agricultural engineering or agriculture.


Soil and plant scientist
As a soil and plant scientist, you will test the composition of the soil in order to assess how it affects plant growth, researching alternative methods of growing crops (such as genetic modification) in order to maximize efficiency. You will present this data in detailed reports to advise food growers how to use their land most efficiently, informing farmers on the crops which are most suitable.

Many soil and plant scientists spend their days working in offices or laboratories, doing research or outside gathering samples on farms to use in their research. Soil and plant scientists specializing in food may work in kitchens, in order to test new food processing methods.

Conservation planner
Conservation planners are responsible for determining the environmental and ecological value of land, to decide whether it should be preserved or whether it can be built on. If land is deemed too valuable to be built on, conservation planners will draw up a report telling stakeholders what they can and cannot do.

As a conservation planner, your day to day tasks may include preparing reports, developing budgets, identifying and analyzing any environmental issues and promoting environmental management. You will be acting as the middleman between developers, environmental groups and the government.

To be a conservation planner, you will need to have good project management skills, be extremely self-motivated and organized. An environmental science degree would be extremely useful in this role, and you must also have good analytical skills.

Commercial Horticulturalist
As a commercial horticulturalist, you will be involved in monitoring the entire production process – overseeing the growing, harvesting, packaging, distribution and selling of food, crops and plants.

Typical day to day activities might see you supervising and training staff, managing pest/weed control programs, writing business plans, developing new products, marketing products, negotiating contracts with buyers and sellers, and helping to sell the finished products.

Commercial horticulturalists need to be extremely detail-orientated, with strong management and communication skills and have a great deal of commercial awareness.

Agricultural salesperson
Working in agricultural sales, you will sell machinery, animal feed, fertilizers and seed to farmers. You will be expected to be an expert in your product and will often advise farmers on products. You will need to be able to listen to the needs of the farmer, and then recommend the correct products to suit their requirements.

The ability to build long term relationships, as well as being persuasive and knowledgeable on your product are all skills which are vital in this career. Sales and marketing degrees would be extremely valuable if you’re looking to pursue a career in sales.
The ladder to being an Agribusiness professional- Knowing the sectors!
Agriculture as a subject and agribusiness as a career have been evolving and their scope has been growing multifold in recent years. With the increasing number of courses, colleges and jobs in the agribusiness sector, comes up the question that what is agribusiness and what all constitutes agribusiness? We will make this a cakewalk for you by breaking the domain into various sectors enlisted below:Agriculture as a subject and agribusiness as a career have been evolving and their scope has been growing multifold in recent years. With the increasing number of courses, colleges and jobs in the agribusiness sector, comes up the question that what is agribusiness and what all constitutes agribusiness? We will make this a cakewalk for you by breaking the domain into various sectors enlisted below:

• Agri-input

• BFSI

• FMCG

• Retail

• Consultancy

• Commodities

The list doesn't end here. Never-ending research to meet the ever-growing needs adds to the development of new sectors, thereby, creating new opportunities. In the same wake, animal husbandry and development sectors for agribusiness also have their due place but here in this article we will cover the above enlisted sectors for now.While making important life decisions like that of choosing a career, it is very important to be well informed and then think it through. For aspiring agribusiness professionals, we have tried to explain the various sectors involved in Agribusiness in the simplest way possible. Let’s start!Agri-input sector

The sector comprises of three key sub-sectors viz., crop protection (pesticides), crop nutrition (fertilizers), and seeds. According to FICCI, its value stood at US$ 5 billion, with domestic consumption at US$ 2.77 billion in 2018. Some of the very famous agri-input companies include DuPont India, Rallies India Limited, UPL Limited, Coromandel International Private Limited, Nuziveedu Seeds Limited, well, the list is too big to be enlisted!

Anyone who is connected to agriculture and agricultural processes from the very roots will definitely find this sector to be their cup of tea.

BFSI sector
The BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) sector, as the name suggests, incorporates the various banking entities, the financial services providers and insurance companies which provide credit, financial security and various other such facilities to the public (here, farmers). IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank, Samunnati Financial Intermediation and Services Pvt. Ltd., Kotak Mahindra Bank and numerous others are the players in this sector in agribusiness.

People interested in numbers, who love to quantify; people who are number freaks or have an inclination towards the same are perfect fits for this sector.

FMCG sector
FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sector, being the fourth largest sector of the Indian economy is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.9% to reach US$ 220 billion by 2025, from US$ 110 billion in 2020. Focusing on agriculture, the Indian packaged food market is expected to double to US$ 70 billion by 2025. The immense potential this sector withholds is exhibited from the fact that it is a major contributor to the FDI of the country and is an investor attraction due to the perennial demand for FMCG products. Major players in this sector include ITC Ltd., Britannia Industries Ltd., Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Adani Wilmar Ltd., MARS Inc. amongst many others.

Retail sector
The last and crucial stage in the agricultural supply chain, retailing, holds immense significance as the products are majorly perishable in nature, Indian market being the fifth largest destination for the retail market in the world, the scope the sector embeds is immeasurable. Aditya Birla Retail, Bharti WalMart, Spencer’s Retail and many others are involved in the retail sector of Agribusiness as a major concern.

Consultancy
A consultancy and a consultant are problem solvers and solution advisers. They chalk out plans, recommend the best possible way out and if required help the client to execute the particular solution devised to obtain the required output or result. Good communication skills paired with analytical and problem-solving skills will make you a hotshot for the domain. PwC India Pvt. Ltd., KPMG India Private Limited, Tata Consultancy Services, CRISIL and numerous other big players keep the domain alive.

Commodities
Commodities for procurement and for trading are the two sub divisions under this sector. Procurement requires extensive mobility from one place to another while trading requires knowledge of commodities, geography and even national and international political and demographic build. The sector provides lucrative career and growth opportunities to the upcoming agribusiness professionals. BUNGE India Pvt. Ltd., Cargill India, KarvyComtrade Ltd., NBHC Pvt. Ltd., NCDEX Ltd., Olam International are the few among the many companies working in this sector.

We hope that we have been able to help you out with your basic doubts regarding Agribusiness and its career prospects. Do wait for more such useful and insightful articles by ConnectAgri!