What are the skills required to do well in this career?
You will need to have:
empathy for rural and agricultural fabric
good communication skills, for establishing and developing relationships with clients
marketing, negotiation and advisory skills, for the development of new business opportunities and the building of a client base
technical and analytical skills with the ability to explain findings clearly
the ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team
financial skills and the ability to manage budgets
good attention to detail and accurate record keeping
What are the various professional paths in this career?
Agricultural engineering applies principles of engineering science and technology to production and processing in the field of agriculture. Itis the area of engineering concerned with the design, construction and improvement of farming equipment and machinery. Agricultural engineers integrate technology with farming. For example, they design new and improved farming equipment that may work more efficiently, or perform new tasks. Agricultural engineers work both indoors and outdoors. They spend time in offices creating plans and managing projects, and in agricultural settings inspecting sites, monitoring equipment, and overseeing reclamation and water management projects. The following list includes standard duties that an agricultural engineer will encounter:
Plan and design the building of irrigation, drainage, and flood- and water-control systems
Review research and literature relating to current discoveries in the field
Collect field and control samples of biological samples and non-living media in order to perform analyses
Engineer the construction of agricultural buildings and storage facilities in order to engineer a system that is the most efficient while also the most cost effective
Design equipment and machinery used for field preparation, seeding, spraying, harvesting, and transporting agricultural products
Ensure equipment design is consistent with local codes and farming culture as well as catering to the resources available in the region
Supervise all aspects of the production and delivery of agricultural products from seed to table
Prepare and present technical reports, meet with clients, and communicate technical concepts to internal and external stakeholders
Advocate for sustainable agriculture on a local and national level to interested parties
Research to find new ways of farming, harvesting, and storage
Conduct research for the design of new structures and systems
Conduct research in the field and lab to develop practices for food production that protect the environment
Agricultural consultants and advisers work to ensure their clients' businesses or enterprises are running as efficiently as possible. As an agricultural consultant, you'll usually consult on either technical or business matters. Technical consultants provide specialist advice onagronomy, environment and conservation, livestock, nutrition, waste management etc. Business consultants help with business planning, estate and financial management advice for agricultural businesses and farms, personnel management etc. Clients may include:
farmers
growers
landowners
conservation organisations
public bodies
other agricultural businesses in manufacturing and services
What kind of courses do I need to pursue to contribute to the field of agriculture?
A degree in agriculture or another relevant subject is usually required. The following subjects may increase your chances:
agricultural engineering
animal or biological science
crop and plant science
environmental science
horticulture
soil science
Which are the top institutes to study a course related to agriculture?
National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Delhi
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), Hyderabad
Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore
G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUA&T), Uttarakhand
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana
Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai
What are the prospects in this career?
Agriculture is an important part of our Indian economy and the demand for skilled professionals in the field is growing day by day. After pursuing a graduation or post-graduation degree in agriculture, one can get a high paid job in private as well as government sector. You can work as an Agriculture Officer, Production Manager, Research Scientist, Farm Manager and so on.
A degree in agriculture gives you the knowledge and skills to either manage agricultural businesses, or work in the areas of agricultural sales, food production and farming journalism. The main types of employment for agricultural professionals are:
multinational and national agribusiness corporation such as Tolaram, Afriventures, ITC Agribusiness Division, ADM Agro, Godrej Agrovet, National Bulk Handling Corporation, Seedworks, Adani Wilmar, etc.
farm equipment companies
agricultural and environmental consultancies
charitable organisations, and environmental and conservation bodies
commercial companies supplying products, equipment and services to the industry
farming cooperatives
not-for-profit international organisations
property firms that have specialist agricultural divisions
the public sector
Can you give some useful links to explore this career in greater detail?