Scope and future of Agriculture course in India
B Sc Agriculture is a four-year undergraduate programme in colleges and universities that prepares students to become agri-preneurs. The widespread prevalence of toxic farming methods necessitates the appointment of skilled professionals who can leverage new technology and farming methods to tackle the agricultural crisis.
What is BSc Agriculture?
It is a four-year Undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree programme. The broad discipline of agricultural science offers a wealth of chances for securing a promising future which includes a wide range of scientific, technical, and business topics. Horticulture, soil science, plant science, poultry farming, dairy, and food science are just a few of the topics covered in the degree programmes offered by colleges in India. The primary goal of these colleges that offer agriculture courses is to train students in the above-mentioned concepts to improve agricultural productivity, manage products, and pave the way for future developments through research activities.
Let us look at some of the important subjects covered in the B sc Agriculture programme to learn more about it:
Agronomy: Field Crops (Kharif), Field Crops (Rabi), Crop Production, Weed Management, Irrigation Techniques, Water Resource Management, Organic Farming, and Sustainable Agriculture are all examples of agronomy.
Plant Genetics includes Botany, Genetics Fundamentals, Plant Breeding, Seed Technology, and Biotechnology Fundamentals.
Introduction to Soil Science, Soil Fertility, Soil Chemistry, Fertilizers, and Agricultural Chemistry are all topics covered in Soil Science.
Entomology includes pest control, beneficial insects, grain storage, and grain management.
Market prices, trade prices, marketing, finance, agribusiness management, and farm management are all examples of Agricultural Economics.
Agriculture Engineering includes the following subfields: Agriculture Machinery, Power and Tools, Harvest Technology, Environment Science and Engineering, and Renewable Energy.
Climate patterns, Climatic hazards in agriculture, Climatic Zones, and Weather forecasting are all aspects of Agricultural Meteorology.
Plant Pathology includes Crop Diseases and Nematology.
Fruit Crops, Medicinal Plants, Aromatic Plants, Flower Production, Spices, Plantation Crops are all examples of Horticulture.
Agricultural Extension: Extension Dimensions, Extension Methodologies, Entrepreneurship Development Program.
Apart from theoretical subjects, practical sessions are also involved, in case of these subjects.
Is BSc Agriculture a good career option?
There are numerous government and private job opportunities available to graduates. State agriculture departments hire graduates to fill Agriculture Loan Officer positions.
In the private sector, graduates may find employment as Plantation Managers, Officers at Fertilizer Manufacturing Firms, Agriculture Machinery Industries, Agricultural Products Marketing Firms, Food Processing Units, and so on. The average starting salary is between 2 and 4.5 lakh rupees per year.
These fields associated with the Research and Development Sector are promising. After completing relevant Msc and PhD programmes, one can pursue a career in that field.
Following are some of the important government and business sector positions that can be obtained with a BSc in Agriculture:
- Agriculture Analyst
- Agriculture Officer
- ICAR Scientist
- Project Associate
- Animal Breeder
- Research Assistants
- Agriculture Loan officer in Banks
- Plant Breeder
- Agriculture Technician
- Seed Technologist
- Operation Manager in Fertilizer Units
Why B Sc Agriculture is important?
Two-thirds of the Indian population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. 55% of the workforce is employed in agriculture, either directly or indirectly. India’s agriculture industry contributes 14–17% of its GDP and 15% of its export revenue.
Contrary to popular belief, technological advancements such as the use of drones, precision agriculture tools such as machine learning, IoT, and so on may lead to increased agricultural employment. According to a recent World Economic Forum report, agtech will boost the country’s GDP by 1-1.5 percent and create at least 5 million jobs in the coming years.The world’s population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, and they will all require service. As a result, tremendous population growth will create business opportunities for young farmers in the coming years, while technology, research, and improved farming methods will boost crop productivity.
Top Indian companies hiring Agriculture graduates in 2023
- Food Corporation of India (a Govt of India enterprise)
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (a Govt of India enterprise)
- National Dairy Development Board (a Govt of India enterprise)
- 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
Where to study BSc Agriculture?
Brainware University, Kolkata is one of the top private colleges in India, offering bachelor’s degree in Agriculture to students mainly from the eastern part of the country as well as the rest of India who want to study and learn about science.
The university offers an B Sc in Agriculture with a professional job focus. In 2022, 98% of the students were placed with the highest CTC offered of 36 LPA.
Visit the official Brainware University website to learn more.
