The phenomenal demand for 21st century AgriBusiness graduates

The 21st Century poses more complex agricultural problems than ever before. As the global population expands beyond 7.5 billion, climates continue to warm at an alarming rate and sea levels threaten to flood the land. Agriculture graduates are the ones who will be responsible for finding solutions to these issues.

Agriculture has always been central to human civilisation. Even before the industrial revolution, agriculture has been a way to provide food and income to support communities. Cultivating crops and harvesting the land have become an essential way of life that has sustained civilisation and granted us the sustenance we’ve historically required.

Though the needs of society have changed a lot since the traditional days of agriculture, the need for experts in this field will always remain. Higher standards of living mean people have demands that surpass what can be grown locally, and globalisation has reduced reliance on community agriculture.

Instead, agriculture is now a mass procedure that involves global cooperation and communication. While this has the benefit of offering consumers more choice, it means business knowledge of the agricultural world is essential in guiding industry practice.

Graduates with experience in AgriBusiness will have the highly sought-after skills needed to tackle the globalised agriculture market, as well as awareness of the problems that have arisen from industry developments.

One of the biggest challenges facing the agricultural world is the increasing number of mouths that need feeding while also trying to create a sustainable world. Mass agriculture is currently the largest contributor to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Shockingly, methane produced by cows exceeds that produced by all the trains, cars, planes, boats and buses on the planet.

The world’s current farming habits are using up 20 times more land and water resources than a world that focussed on growing grains, fruits and vegetables rather than meat.

So, as society’s collective stomach grows bigger, agricultural workers have a big question on their hands: do they prioritise consumer wants or sustainable demand?

A degree in AgriBusiness shows the many different ways of navigating both the commercial and practical sides of agriculture, helping you shape the world’s sustainable efforts for years to come.

Arguably the most exciting development in the agriculture industry of today is the emergence of new technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Soon, machines will be able to identify when it’s the best time to harvest a crop, efficiently sort through good and spoiled produce, as well as make accurate decisions regarding trends for demand and supply.

This presents new challenges to AgriBusiness graduates as they grapple with moral dilemmas that weren’t present in the man-managed age. But it also brings with it new possibilities and solutions through streamlined procedures and automated systems.

AgriBusiness combines the scientific theory of agriculture with the creative and practical skills of a business degree. This allows you to gain a 360° understanding of the agricultural field and how it can be tailored to the needs of a 21st century world.

THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, BUSINESS AND LAW – UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND (UNE), AUSTRALIA.

There are outstanding study opportunities at UNE, in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law – a prestigious faculty comprised of business specialists, economists, environmental lawyers, geologists, engineers, geneticists, earth scientists, zoologists, plant scientists, soils scientists and ecologists, giving you a well-rounded experience of the agricultural discipline.

Undergraduate students can study the Bachelor of Agricultural Production and Management, which blends vocational skills with cutting-edge business knowledge to kickstart your business agriculture career.

There’s also the specialised Bachelor of Agriculture/Bachelor of Business, giving students the chance to earn a joint honours degree over four years learning the fundamentals of agriculture and business.

In both programs, students benefit from small class sizes, with world-leading academics helping them to reach their potential as industry influencers. For the 12th year in a row, the University of New England (UNE) has earned the top five-star rating from the Good Universities Guide for the quality of their student experience. The 2018 Guide also awarded UNE five-star ratings in six other important categories, including Teaching Quality, Student Support, Graduate Employment and Median Graduate Salary.

The Faculty is ideally located in the heart of Australia’s food production systems, with 90 percent of the nation’s food and fibre production being in a 300km radius of the institution. This not only offers students the chance to learn about AgriBusiness at a world-leading university, but also instils them with real-world experience in Australia’s thriving agriculture capital.

This industry experience merges with ground-breaking facilities, producing AgriBusiness graduates who are top of their game in the highly-competitive field.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

Located in the cultural hub of Lincoln, the Department of Agricultural Sciences allows you to study at one of the best universities in New Zealand while also gaining the authentic Kiwi experience.

The campus, which spans 58-hectares of lush green fields, is home to over 3,500 students from more than 60 countries. Studying at this university means you’ll always have new corners to explore with different people, breaking the mould from the traditional university experience.

Students have an impressive array of agricultural courses to choose from, covering everything from Bachelor of Landscape Architecture to Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture and Professional Accounting). There are also graduate and postgraduate certificates to deepen your knowledge and agricultural expertise if you want to take your career to the next level.

“Lincoln provided me with a huge range of opportunities and throughout my studies I was able to relate what I was learning to my practical knowledge. I believe the network I have developed during my time there will become increasingly more valuable as I forge my career,” says Huey Van Vliet, Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) graduate.

“Not only did I achieve my goals academically at Lincoln, but I had some great experiences and made lifelong friends. I’m really proud of what I have accomplished and it has definitely provided a launching pad for my future.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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