Career Opportunities in Agriculture

Agriculture jobs in India are really sought after as these are one of the never ending jobs. This is because; agriculture is a crucial part of our society. In order to stay alive, human beings need food and that comes from agriculture. Earlier agriculture was just the farming and mere a need rather than a profession. But at present farming is not only a need but a profession. Even agriculture is the part of every nation’s economy as many food products are exported to other countries.

So keep the society independent in terms of food, growth and economy the country must have a sustainable agriculture industry. To have sustainable agriculture the country needs, agriculture scientists, farmers, agricultural engineers, animal husbandry scientist who can give quality food through research and keep a vigil on the food, grain, fruit production.

Eligibility and Courses in Agriculture sector :

Indian Council of Agricultural Research Conduct the entrance examination separately for graduate and postgraduate courses each year in the month of April / May. For graduate course, the eligibility requirement is 12th pass in science / agriculture with 50% marks for Graduate level courses. For postgraduate level courses the eligibility criteria is B.Sc / B.Sc (Ag) with 60% marks. All the agricultural universities provide Ph.D degree in different discipline.

There are more than 40 agriculture colleges in India which offer M.Sc (Agr) / M.Tech degree in different discipline. The various subjects that can be specialized in agriculture course are agronomy, horticulture, plant physiology, soil science, agricultural economics, agricultural chemistry, agricultural statistics, animal husbandry, dairy etc.

There are marketing and management programs in agriculture industry like farming system management, plant genetics & breeding, animal genetics, agricultural marketing management. There are Agricultural Engineering Courses as well.

Agriculture Jobs :

Agriculture job as agricultural inspector is all about checking the quality of fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and grains. As an agricultural inspector you must know the laws related to the health, safety and quality of meat, fruits, vegetables, poultry and eggs. You can choose to be a farmer, a farm manager, a Vineyard Manager, Range Manger and Agricultural Gardner to name a few. In this type of agriculture job numerous visits to the site are made by the agricultural inspector for inspection. Samples are then taken for the test. To test the livestock for any kind of disease, agricultural inspector takes the veterinarian along.

To become an agriculture inspector one must complete the courses in biology or agricultural science or complete the Bachelors in Agriculture. This is a four year regular degree from college or University.

Remuneration :

The salaries in the agricultural industry cannot be determined by a set pay-slab.  The pay varies greatly, depending on various factors.  The quality and quantity of the output as well as the demand for the produce play a major role.  Other factors include the position and work experience.  It is one industry which relies heavily on experience rather than formal training. Self-employed may make more money depending on the productivity.  However, with big firms and corporations joining the fray, employees may draw better salaries.