Agricultural science professionals/ scientists are concerned with methods
of converting agricultural commodities into healthy food products for
consumers. They combine wide variety of scientific disciplines such as
biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics to improve agricultural production
methods and food quality. The tasks carried out by them depend on the
type of specialization. Among the various specializations within agricultural
science, the major broad areas are food science, plant science, soil science
and animal science.
Food Science : In this field, researches and works is being done
for developing new and improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging,
storing and delivering foods. Food science professionals/ scientists
analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, or
protein; or search for substitutes for harmful or undesirable additives
and preservatives.
Plant Science or Horticulture : This field comprises of agronomy,
environmental science, plant breeding and entomology. Agronomy is the
scientific management of soil and the production of crops. Entomology
is the study of insects and their relationship to plants. Plant breeding
include Forestry, Floriculture etc
Soil Science : Soil science is the study of the physical, chemical
and biological composition of soils; its impact on plant growth and
how various types of soils respond to things such as fertilizers, crop
rotation etc.
Animal Science : It is the field which conducts research and development
to improve the production and processing of meats, fish and dairy products.
Dairy scientists, animal breeders, poultry & fishery scientists,
are the related scientists who specialize in nutrition, genetics, reproduction,
and growth of domestic farm animals. Animal scientists examine and grade
livestock food products, purchase of livestock, or work in technical
sales or marketing.
Other fields of agricultural science are agricultural economics; waste
management; environmental science, ecology; agricultural engineering,
biosystems engineering; biotechnology; genetic engineering; microbiology,
etc.
As an enormous and expanding field, agriculture industry offers numerous
career options to agricultural professionals. Most careers in these fields
are either business or science related. Entrepreneurship in this field
can generate handsome profits while salaried jobs with various government
and private concerns provide a regular income. Agriculture professionals
can seek employment in Central and State Government ministries and departments;
Agricultural finance corporation research institutions; Nationalized banks
and rural banks; Krishi Vigyan Kendras; Agro - Industry Sector; Agricultural
universities and various agricultural service organizations. Their work
profile involves pest control, fieldwork control of plant diseases, food
science and nutrition, conducting surveys and reports etc. Horticulture,
floriculture, dairy and poultry farming, fishery, agricultural journalism,
etc are some of the areas offering good career potential.
Graduates in agricultural science are employed as agricultural managers/
inspectors in farm related organisations, agro-industries, food-processing
unit, dairy fields, NGO's and breeding centers. Many of these positions
can be in areas that support the marketing and distribution of agricultural
commodities as well as in the production sector of agribusiness operations.
They can also set their own business in primary economic sector such as
farming, plantations, fisheries, mining, cattle rearing, poultry farming
etc.
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and State Public Service Commission
recruit post graduates to the post of agricultural extension officer,
rural development officer, field officer, agricultural credit officers,
agricultural probationary officer, plant protection officer, soil conservation
officer, seed production officers, agricultural assistants, farm superintendents
or technical assistants. Depending on the areas of specialisations, post
graduates with doctoral degree are employed in the agricultural universities
as plant pathologist, agronomist, economic botanist, agro-meteorologist,
research engineer, associate professor etc. Reserve Bank of India, State
Bank of India and the nationalised banks offer openings for postgraduates
in agriculture and allied areas as Field Officers, Rural Development Officers
and Agricultural and Probationary Officers.
Research areas of agricultural science has become more prospective with
the new advances in the study of genetics and biotechnology. Scientist
s work with biologists and chemists to develop efficient processes for
turning crops into energy sources. One can work in the private sector
on applied research and product development or engage in basic research,
mainly in universities or government agencies. Agricultural scientists
can also work as consultants to business firms, private clients or to
government.
They can join in the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI),
Delhi as junior fellow researcher. Vacancies for scientists in the Agricultural
Research Service (ARS) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Institute are through a combined entrance test conducted by the Agricultural
Scientists Recruitment Board or ASRB. Aspiring candidates can also take
ARS NET (Agricultural Research Service/ National Eligibility Test) examination
to work as lecturers in various agricultural universities and their affiliated
colleges.
The Department of Agriculture in every state recruit gazetted officers
like District Agriculture Officer, Assistant Director of Agriculture through
the State Service Commission (SSC). The recruitment to the post of Agricultural
Development Officer (ADO)/ Block Development Officer (BDO) is also through
entrance examination conducted by public service commission/ concerned
department. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics
(ICRISAT) with its head quarters at Andhra Pradesh is a non-profit, non-political
organization for research related job of agriculture field.
