What are the career opportunities for agriculture graduates  

Agriculture, in the current scenario, is not just a profession that is just farming. It is more of a holistic, contextual & outcome-based approach that is not merely production centric but acquires a perspective of income-centricity, treating agriculture as an enterprise. It integrates all kinds of professions and principles related to ecology, environment, health, food security, social security, and economic security; addressing the challenges of people, planet and prosperity. This article gives a brief account of career opportunities under the agriculture stream. 

Options for B. Sc agri graduates: 

Agricultural graduates may continue pursuing academic excellence through post-graduate programmes and doctorates in the specialised fields of agriculture, conducted by State universities independently or in joint association with ICAR. Those interested in management studies may also opt for admissions into IIMs.  

ICARAIEEA-PG is the national-level examination for admission to 25 per cent seats (100 per cent seats of ICAR deemed universities and DR RP CAU PUSA) in master’s degree programmes of agriculture universities and aware of ICAR PG scholarship/NTS (PGS) in agriculture and allied sciences, is the gateway to pursuing Master’s Degrees at Agricultural Universities.

Courses that students can take up are Plant Biotechnology, Physical Science, Plant Sciences, Agronomy, Social Sciences, Entomology & Nematology, Statistical Sciences, Forestry/ Agroforestry & Silviculture, Horticulture, Water Science & Technology, Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Animal Biotechnology, Community Science (erstwhile Home Science), Animal Sciences, Veterinary Science, Dairy Science, Fisheries Science, Dairy Technology, Agri-Business Management & Food Science Technology. The remaining 75 per cent may be recruited by the universities through their criteria of OGPA at the UG and common entrance test.  

A post-graduate degree in any of the above-cited fields is a minimum eligibility to apply for Agricultural Research Scientist Positions through a nationwide combined examination for NET, ARS (Preliminary) & Senior Technical Officer held by the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board ASRB. For scientist positions in various national institutes, students who clear the pre-lims will have to succeed in the mains & then get through an interview. Doctorates may also get into scientific positions in private agricultural companies that invest in research. Interested students also have good opportunities as post-docs in reputed American, Canadian, Australian, Mexican, Kiwi and British universities. 

A post-graduate degree with ICAR NET is mandatory to apply for academic posts in universities as assistant professors. Graduates & postgraduates may also take up careers as Agricultural Officers, and Horticultural Officers in the agriculture department and rise to the post of Director of Agriculture, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Graduates could also take up positions as technical officers and farm managers in national and state government organisations like KVKs and regional agricultural research stations, universities, etc.  

Openings 

Agri graduates have ample opportunities as production managers, marketing managers, area managers, farm managers, and seed production technologists, in private sector companies such as Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd, National Fertilizers Ltd, Fertilizers & Chemicals Travancore Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd, Deepak Fertilizers & Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd., Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd., Liberty Phosphate Ltd., Tractors & Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE)., Sonalika (International Tractors Ltd.)., New Holland., Godrej Agrovet Limited, Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd, National Agro-Industry, Kaveri Seed Company Ltd, Dhunseri Tea & Industries Ltd, JK Agri Genetics Ltd, Raghuvansh Agrofarms Ltd, Goodricke Group Ltd, HPC Biosciences Ltd, Nath Bio-Genes (India) Ltd,DuPont India, Rallies India Limited, Nuziveedu Seeds Limited, Lemken India Agro Equipments Private Limited, Advanta Limited, Monsanto India, Poabs Organic Estates, Rasi Seeds, Rasi Seeds, Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd, Rallis India Ltd, Bayer CropScience Ltd, BASF India Ltd, Atul Ltd, UPL Ltd, PI Industries Ltd, Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd, Bharat Group, etc. 

Entrepreneurial opportunities  

While salaried jobs with various government and private sector companies provide a regular income, entrepreneurship can generate handsome profits. Farmers are micro-entrepreneurs as they take care of their own crop. Entrepreneurship opportunities in farming and allied fields are increasing rapidly, as many health-conscious urban consumers are oriented towards spending more on quality products. There are many government schemes that provide loans to unemployed agricultural graduates, agricultural diploma holders, intermediates in agriculture and biological science graduates, with a PG in agri-related courses, to start their own business with bank linkage. The most popular among them is The Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres (ACABC) scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, with NABARD acting as the subsidy channelising agency. The scheme offers full financial support for training & handholding, provision of loans and credit-linked back-end composite subsidy. 

While agri clinics are envisaged to provide expert advice & services to farmers to enhance the productivity of crops/ animals and increase the incomes of farmers by offering advisory in the areas of soil health, cropping practices, plant protection, crop insurance, post-harvest technology, clinical services for animals, feed & fodder management, prices of various crops in the market, etc., agri-business centres are commercial units of agri-ventures established by trained agriculture professionals. These ventures may include maintenance and custom hiring of farm equipment, sale of inputs and other services in agriculture and allied areas, including post-harvest management, value addition, branding, promotion & market linkages for income generation & entrepreneurship development. 

The scheme covers full financial support for training & handholding, provision of loans and credit-linked back-end composite subsidy. 

The sky is the limit for the hard-working and enterprising youth in guiding farmers, improving their incomes and changing the picture of the Indian agricultural economy through crop diversification, sustainable and integrated farming systems, market lead farming, focusing on reducing the agricultural imports of our country, as well as improving exports. This will also directly increase the GDP contribution from agri-sector and improve Indian foreign exchange reserves.  

(This is the second part of the author’s views on building a career in the agriculture sector. The link of the first part is given below. The author is EVP and Head of HR, Coromandel International.) 

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