Agriculture & Animal husbandry as a career
Introduction
Agriculture is the process producing natural food & goods through farming with the combination of natural resources, animal power, machine power and the human power. Agriculture is the backbone of any country and the key for human survival. In India around 58.4% of the population is dependent on agriculture and allied sectors. It contributes to approximately one-fifth of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of India. Agriculture accounts for about 10 per cent of the total export earnings and provides raw material to a large number of industries. India has the 10% of agriculture land in the world but the country’s contribution to the world is only 1%, in spite of having sun light around the year. This means that, we are under utilizing our resources because of many reasons. Agriculture is a sector where we use almost all professional practices Eg. Civil, Mechanical, electrical, Electronics, communication, IT, Medicine, Economics, Management, Marketing, Finance, research…. So the scope & challenges for the students entering in to the agriculture sector is enormous.
Agriculture has many branches, to state the core branches…
# Crop Production
* Crop Production
* Seeds
* Integrated Nutrient Management (Fertilizers)
* Plant Protection (pesticides)
* Organic Farming
# Animal Husbandry
* Cattle and Buffalo Development
* Poultry Development
* Sheep & Goat Development
* Piggery Development
* Feed and Fodder Development
* Dairy Development
* Fisheries
# Horticulture
* Fruits
* Vegetables
* Spices
* Plantation Crops
* Flowers
* Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
* Bee-Keeping
# National Resource Management
* Soil and Water Conservation
* Forest Conservation
* Wild life Conservation
Qualities Required (Is this the right field for me?)
· Passion towards nature\environment\Animals or the list mentioned above
· Interested & willing to work with the nature & ready to learn new process & technology
· Hardworking
· Willingness to give back to society
· Entrepreneurship
· Patients
· Willing to take up non white collar job
· Excepting self satisfaction than money
Entry requirements
· Read & write in local language (English is an advantage for gaining more knowledge)
· Diploma courses
· Bachelor's degree or post-graduate degree
· Internship or work experience
· For engineering\Technological courses, Selection is through an entrance test conducted at all India/ state level.
Courses
The agricultural course has a vast range of courses in science, engineering, technology & Medicine.
Eg: B.sc\M.sc, B.Tech\M.Tec,
| General Programs | Technology Programs | Postgraduate Programs |
|
| Faculty of Agriculture
Faculty of Horticulture
Faculty of Forestry
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering
Faculty of Home Science
|
More details: http://www.tnau.ac.in/stu/courses.html
Apart from this there are many diploma & certificate courses in different state universities, as well as Indian Open University (IGNO) http://www.ignou.ac.in/
Colleges / Institutes
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has 11 colleges affiliated to it in Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Killikulam, Periyakulam & Mettupalayam
| S.No | College Name | Address | Courses Offered | University |
| 1 | Adhiparasakthi Agriculture College | Melmaruvathur - 603 319 Chengalpet Tamil Nadu, India Email : omsakthi@omsakthi.org, webmaster@omsakthi.org | B.Sc. (Ag.) | |
| 2 | Adhiparasakthi College of Science | Kalavai, Vellore District | Biochemistry B.Sc., M.Sc. Microbiology B.Sc., M.Sc. | |
| 3 | Agricultural College & Research Institute | Killikulam, Vallanadu - 628 252 Thoothukudi District Email : deankkm@tnau.ac.in Phone : 04630-2461226 Website : http://www.tnau.ac.in/kkm | B.Sc (Ag) and M.Sc (Ag) graduates | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University |
| 4 | Agricultural College and Research Institute | Thirupparankundram Madurai-625104 Email : deanagrimdu@tnau.ac.in Phone : 91-452-2422956 | under graduate, post-graduate and doctoral levels | |
| 5 | Agricultural College and Research Institute | TNAU, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India Email : deanagri@tnau.ac.in Phone : 091-0422-6611210 | B.Sc.(Agriculture) B.Tech.(Biotechnology) B.Tech.(Bioinformatics) B.S.(Agribusiness Management) B.Tech.(Agricultural Information Technology) | |
| 6 | Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute | Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India Email : deancaecbe@tnau.ac.in Phone : +91 422 5511255 | Under Graduate Course B.Tech.(Food Process Engineering) B.Sc (Food Process Engineering) Post Graduate Programmes Master of Engineering and Doctoral Programmes | |
| 7 | Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute | Navalur Kuttappattu village,Trichy pin - 620 009 Email : deanagritry@tnau.ac.in Phone : 0431-2690577, 0431-2690692 Website : http://www.tnau.ac.in/agtry/index.html | undergraduate B.Sc., (Ag.) degree DEPARTMENT OF PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS. DEPARTMENT OF CROP MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF CROP PROTECTION DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LANGUAGES | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University |
| 8 | Annamalai University | Annamalai Nagar 608002 Email : info@annamalaiuniversity.ac.in Phone : 91 - 4144 - 238248/263/796 Website : http://annamalaiuniversity.ac.in | Agronomy Entomology Plant Pathology Microbiology Soil Science and cultural Chemistry Agricultural Botany Horticulture Agricultural Economics Agricultural Extension Animal Husbandary | Annamalai University |
| 9 | Bharthidasan University | Palkalaiperur Tiruchirappalli - 620 024 Email : info@bdu.ernet.in / office @bdu.ernet.in Phone : 0431 660392 / 660271(O)472200(R) Website : www.bdu.ac.in | Agriculture Wild Life | |
| 10 | College Of Agricultural Engineering | Kumulur 621712 Tiruchirapalli Email : deancaekum@tnau.ac.in Phone : 0431 – 2541218, 2543 718 Website : http://www.tnau.ac.in/kumulur | Agricultural Engineering Degree | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University |
| 11 | Fisheries College and Research Institute | Fisheries College and Research Institute,Tuticorin- 628 008 | 1. Master Of Fishery Science Eligibility : Bachelor’s degree in the concerned field obtained from the recognized University Duration : 2 years Course areas : in 8 disciplines viz. Aquaculture, Fis | |
| 12 | FOREST COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE | METTUPALAYAM – 641 301 | B.Sc. (Foresty), M.Sc. (For.) and Ph.D. (For.) | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University |
| 13 | Home Science College & Research Institute | Madurai | Doctorate Degree programme in Food Science and Nutrition | Madurai Tamil Nadu Agricultural University |
| 14 | Horticultural College & Research Institute Periyakulam | Theni – Dindigul high Periyakulam- 625 604 Email : deanhcripkm@tnau.ac.in Phone : 04546) 231726 | B. Sc. (Horticulture) M.Sc. (Horticulture) | |
| 15 | Horticultural College and Research Institute | Coimbatore-641003 Email : sih@tnau.ac.in, spices@tnau.ac.in Phone : 91-422-5511284 | B.Tech. (Horticulture) B.Sc.(Horticulture) M.Sc. (Horticulture) or Ph.D. (Horticulture) Degree PH.D. (Horticulture-Fruit Sciences) | |
| 16 | Madras University | Chennai 600005 Phone : 044-25368778 Website : http://www.unom.ac.in | Wild Life | |
| 17 | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University | Coimbatore 641003 Phone : 0422-5511200 431222, 431821 Website : http://tnau.ac.in | 1. M.Sc Agriculture Duration: 2 years Eligibility: B.Sc (Ag) Branches offered: Agronomy, Agril Entomology, Agril Economics, Agril Extension, Agril Marketing Management, Agril Microbiology, Crop Physi |
All India
The below site contains the information related to agriculture & allied sectors, alone with the all india university information
Future Prospects & career growth
Today, though a career in agriculture my look odd, in future the career related to Agri will rule the world. Depending on our personal interest & smart work, we ca fit ourselves in public or private sectors, even in agricultural scientific research projects. WE can also go abroad for further training or to work there, as there are lots of opportunities in abroad as well.
More over, as an entrepreneur we have lot of scope by selling goods in India as well as exporting them abroad. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “India do not need mass production, instead it needs production by mass”. As agriculture professional it’s our responsibility to make his thoughts true.
If you can lead a simple & planned life, salary\profit in agriculture can be self sufficient & reliable. It gives a satisfaction & meaning to life which is more than the money.
Tips:
All ways try to have government institutions as the first point of contact for any agriculture related actives starting from education\training, job, setting up a start up business, loans, purchasing raw materials, machineries, selling the products etc
Disadvantages of the career
Till you are passionate & focused there are no disadvantages as such, after all every job has their own pros & cons.
Still, need to depend on things that are out of our control (Nature).
Know how of each and every minute thing.
Initial capital\land in case of entrepreneurs
References
