Career Prospects

The employment opportunities in this sector are ample and hence individuals can hope to be placed well. Specialists in this field could work in the central and state departments of agriculture. There is a Department of Agriculture in every state, headed by a Director, which handles all developmental
schemes relating to agricultural crops, seeds and yields. 

Recruitment to these posts is through the State Public Service Commission, and the educational requirements are a degree in agriculture or allied fields. The ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research) and the Institute for Horticultural Research are engaged in research activities and thus require trained professionals.

There are also new areas such as biotechnology and genetic engineering for researchers in this field. Those who are interested in teaching can do so at agricultural universities. Specialists are employed by co-operatives and boards such as the National Dairy Development Board and other
such organizations. 

With the increasing commercialization of agriculture, corporate houses require individuals who have done their post graduation in agriculture or allied fields, and rural management. These are essentially industries handling food processing or marketing. Nationalized banks and rural banks such as NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) also hire professionals from this field. 

The scope for self-employment in this sector, given the increasing profitability of farming for commercial purposes, makes this a very attractive profession to be in. With the technological advancement available in terms of scientific knowledge, automation and bio-genetics, farming is no longer the preserve of the simple, uneducated farmer.

However, farming requires a large amount of capital in terms of land, for making it a financially viable proposition.