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5 Reasons To Take Up A Career In Agriculture/Food Science & Technology

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By Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder, Science for Society - S4S TechnologiesNidhi is a chemical engineer turned social entrepreneur and youth advocate, who actively involved in mentoring various startups across the globe in countries such as U.S., Kenya, Thailand and Nepal.

Agriculture being the backbone of Indian economy has faced debilitating conditions owing to the changing weather conditions, deteriorating soil, and rapidly changing policies for farmers and suppliers alike. Hence, the sector has experienced a regression in the working population as many farmers decided to move to urban areas for better work opportunities. However, it has been observed only recently that the mindset towards farming is evolving. In Cameroon, where agribusiness is gaining progression, the youth has chosen to take farming as a career, own land, develop maize expertly for the international trade, and deal with their companies so as to make a living.

Different nations like Armenia, Brazil, Malawi, and Senegal are also putting resources into their youth and farming with the help from the World Bank Group and other development associations. Youngsters are likewise progressively discussing with their peers as to why they should pick agriculture as their career option. But, to assure that there are enough young farmers on the field to replace the older ones, we must need to stop the agro brain drain. Government needs to enhance enough job opportunities for the fresh blood of agriculture. For instance, the ministry needs to come up with schemes so that these young brains are given a chance to market and supply fertilisers and pesticides. By doing so, farmers can get correct advice about the amount that is used for a specific crop.

Agriculture sector shall always be in demand as the population will keep on increasing, needing nourishment on everyday basis. This division is likewise perfect with regards to budding entrepreneurs who can find out business opportunities even where there are none. For the youth,
one of the driving factors is a stark parallel between the two worlds, i.e. private job and farming. While people in the cities work from nine to five at a stable income, they go home on the weekends and may even party for a day or two; farmers on some days work sixteen hours and on other days they work less than that. In spite of this difference, young people want to get into agriculture because people will always need good food to eat. It is a farmer's job to produce the best food they can. And if they work hard and are innovative, they'll be financially rewarded too for the same.

On the off chance that you are a `self-proclaimed nerd' who loves to explore, agriculture might be the ideal place for you. Various stories from East Africa and different parts of the world have demonstrated that R&D has completely altered agriculture and turned livelihoods upside-down. Today, more than ever, there is a demand for fresh ideas when it comes to environmental change and an increasing interest in nourished food. An intrinsic motivation to research more on sustainable and indigenous methods of farming is enough to keep young farmers motivated to continue working for their country's primary sector occupation.

While farming is a multi-billion dollar industry that specifically influences everybody on the planet every day, managers still battle to discover qualified competitors that are excited about the business and need


By 2050, the total populace is anticipated to hit a value of nine billion. To have the capacity to nourish and address this number, the populace will depend intensely on farming. With that comes the requirement for new innovation, diligent employees, exploring personalities, and fresh scholars that are prepared to get into the workforce and bolster this consistently evolving industry.

While farming is a multi-billion dollar industry that specifically influences everybody on the planet every day, managers still battle to discover qualified competitors that are excited about the business and need. As per the USDA, `sometime between 2010 and 2015 there will be more people employed in food and agri-based jobs than the number of jobs.' It is irrefutable that this industry is one of the most intelligent choices to make right now. And so, the next generation of farmers must acquire all the knowledge. They need more suitable qualifications as there is a lot more advanced technology involved in practices, such as genetics and automation. It has become necessary, more than over, for young and aspiring farmers to be highly specialized and prepared. Financial literacy and management could be one of the most important subjects of future farm management.

Regardless of whether you are searching for an organization that you fit in with, an aggressive compensation, or you want to create an impact, the agrarian segment has such a wide assortment of employments to look over that it is anything but difficult to discover what suits you best. It's a developing field that needs new and capable workers to be prepared to fill positions and become a part of the next generation of agri-based businesses.