How to become An Agronomist

• Agriculturist
• Agronomer
• Agronomy Research Manager
• Agronomy Specialist
• Apiculturist
• Arboreal Scientist
• Arboriculturist
• Arborist
• Botanist
• Corn Breeder

What do Agronomists do?

An Agronomist would typically need to:

• Prepare and manage plans for crop improvement and enhanced production while safeguarding environmental sustainability, safety, and quality
• Design and coordinate land development as well as landscape design projects for agricultural land and forests
• Plan and manage production at agricultural businesses, fruit and vegetable farms, livestock holdings, and agri-food companies
• Carry out land-use planning and green space management (agricultural, forests, and urban environments) per applicable laws
• Ensure accurate knowledge or reliable referrals to make recommendations to growers to achieve efficient crop production
• Soil sample fields including multiple depth sampling, sampling by geo-reference, and multiple site sampling in the event of changes in soil texture
• Manage field trials, plant physiology, and irrigation practices by scouting customer fields for weed, insects, disease, and nutritional issues
• Ensure that application of seeding, fertility, and pesticide occurs when weather conditions are optimal
• Develop new or improved methods or products to control or eliminate weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests
• Gather, compile, analyze, interpret test results, and prepare progress reports to help with crop claim issues as necessary
• Document field evaluation of seed, chemical, specialty products, and fertilizers
• Be familiar with and be able to use laboratory testing equipment (for chemical, physical, and biological tests) of plant and agri-food products
• Ensure agricultural, agri-food, livestock, forestry, and environmental quality certifications are valid by remaining up to date on crop nutrition and protection technology
• Provide agronomic training to the staff responsible for sales and marketing while assisting with agronomic budgeting and cost monitoring
• Provide management and technical consultancy services to companies and other organizations along with the sale of professional agricultural products and technology
• Interact with suppliers, applicators, and Agronomy laboratories
• Research and develop new seeds and grow them through aquaculture and desert farming

An Agronomist works under the overall supervision of the Senior or Chief Agronomist or Agricultural Scientist. The work is both varied and dynamic and has little in common with a normal office routine.

Agronomists have the advantage of being able to spend much of their time outdoors, except during inclement weather. A large part of an Agronomist’s work is done outside, in the open fields, consulting with farmers, or conducting research on plants and animals. They also spend time writing reports in offices or studying and carrying out research in testing laboratories. Some Agronomists may be required to travel.

The dress code of an Agronomist depends on the location and sector. A business casual attire is recommended for work at the office. Work in the fields and laboratory would require clothing specified for those settings.

Agronomist working hours may vary depending on the type of work but generally tend to be more regular for laboratory-based work. Seasonality is a significant factor in the job of an Agronomist, with work out in the fields mostly tending to take place in a specific period of the year. Therefore, a higher degree of flexibility is required when working out in the fields or directly running a business. Changes in weather conditions, production demands, or duration of the contract may dictate the working hours, and you may end up working more than 40 hours per week.

Agronomists can become independent consultants for farmers and small businesses. They can also apply their knowledge in their farming practices. Agronomists with advanced studies can become professors in agricultural colleges. College placement offices and government employment offices can offer job placement assistance.

Agronomists are generally employed by:

• Medium to Large-Scale Farms
• Crop & Seed Production Companies
• Fertilizer Manufacturing Companies
• Crop Protection Companies
• Government Agencies
• Research Firms
• Environmental Organizations
• Agricultural Service Companies
• Agricultural Land-Maintenance Companies
• Higher Education Institutions

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for Agronomists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Agronomist.

• Gaining entry into the field requires extensive skill, knowledge, and experience
• Long working hours spent in the open areas in all sorts of weather conditions or the testing lab.

You will need a considerable amount of skill, knowledge, and experience to be an Agronomist. Usually, you will be required to have two-four years of prior work experience in a related field. Experience in farming or conservation work, even on a part-time or seasonal basis, is a significant advantage.

An accredited technical diploma or bachelor’s or master’s degree in agricultural science, environmental science, food science and technology, agricultural biotechnology, veterinary science, Agronomy and crop science, agroecology and sustainable agriculture, viticulture and enology, or plant sciences is required to become an Agronomist.

The areas covered by a student Agronomist include agrarian sciences, animal husbandry, forestry science, plant genetics, meteorology, phytopathology, botany, chemistry, biochemistry, hydraulics, rural appraisal procedures, agricultural buildings as well as agricultural law. Generally, employers are looking for candidates who have a PhD.

Agronomists can get certifications from authorized professional organizations that recognize expertise in agricultural and food science. Depending on the law applicable in the country where they are based, an Agronomist may need to be licensed by a specific professional body.

Successful certification programs serve and protect the public welfare by investigating individuals that practice outside of the program’s Code of Ethics. They help a profession secure its future by earning trust and respect.

An Agronomist with strong technical knowledge and planning skills may initially progress from a consultancy role to a management position, such as Production Manager, and from there on to running a whole farm, nursery, or livestock holding.

An alternative career route for an Agronomist might involve specializing - for example, in improving and developing agricultural processes and practices such as sowing, planting, harvesting, and irrigation. They may focus on sustainable development and organic farming or helping farmers and livestock breeders to develop techniques and methods that are both profitable and environmentally sustainable.

An Agronomist might become a Research Scientist, studying productivity, crop genetics, storage methods, or strategies for agri-food products. They may branch out into environmental protection, soil conservation methods, and comb desertification, soil erosion, and pollution.

An Agronomist may choose to become a Technical Sales Representative and pursue a career in agricultural marketing and sales.

Those holding advanced degrees will have the best chances of finding jobs.

Agronomists may need some on-the-job training; however, it is generally assumed that you already have the necessary skills and work experience to perform the job.

As an Agronomist, you may also be required to know how to use certain analytical or scientific software, computer-aided design (CAD) software, and analytical or scientific software tools such as 3dMapper, Autodesk AutoCAD (Automatic Computer-Aided Design) software

A postgraduate qualification in crop science and management, animal technology, or agricultural technology would prove advantageous in career advancement. You may decide you would like to teach agriculture or a related topic to complete a teaching qualification. It is also possible that an Agronomist takes postgraduate courses to move into a different area such as journalism, marketing, or business consulting. In addition to agricultural knowledge, Agronomists in top management positions need to have business analysis, financial planning, and accounting skills.

Diverse Sectors and Fields of Specialization

Agronomists have career opportunities in a wide range of sectors, including farming, breeding, agri-food, and regional planning. As a result, they can put their skills to good use in a variety of different careers, whether they are self-employed or working as consultants. Agronomy also encompasses a vast range of sciences, including biology, chemistry, ecology, earth science, and genetics. With so many options, Agronomists typically specialize in one product or industry.

Crop Production Sector

Some Agronomists might concentrate on developing better methods of growing crops such as wheat. In contrast, others might focus on preventing soil erosion, and a third on combating weeds, crop diseases, or pest infestations.

Agronomists also look at how to improve agricultural production and processing capabilities. They assist with the cultivation of fruit and vegetables for the food industry (in open fields, greenhouses, and hydroponic systems), help define planting plans, select irrigation techniques, and plan harvests.

Plant breeding is another relevant field for Agronomists. In this area, you break down the genetic components of plants to isolate specific traits. Then you create blends that solve problems, such as corn that requires less water, disease-resistant sprouts, or wheat that grows faster without sacrificing nutritional value.

Forestry Sector

Those who work in the forestry sector may be involved in planning tree removal and replacement programs, advising on disease prevention and treatment for trees and shrubs, providing landscaping services for gardens, public and private parks, or designing green spaces.

Animal Husbandry Sector

Agronomists employed in livestock management and animal husbandry sectors provide services to farms and livestock holdings producing and selling animal origin, wildlife, hunting businesses, and aquaculture enterprises.

Quality Certification

Agronomists may be employed in the quality certification and analysis of plant, animal, and forest-based products. An Agronomist may monitor the genetic quality of food products for animal and human consumption, and in particular, in checking for the presence of Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the agri-food chain.

Sales-related Activities

Agronomists are also often employed in technical sales roles; they may provide sales, consultancy, and assistance services for professional agricultural products to companies producing and selling machinery and equipment for agriculture, animal feed, fertilizers, or agrochemicals.

And There's More...

Other jobs in Agronomy involve finding alternative uses for plants, studying the impact of agriculture on the environment, engineering techniques to turn food into energy, and discovering new methods of weed and pest control.

Potatoes were the first vegetable grown in space. Astronauts grew the crop in 1995 and again in 2004.

Working with and for the environment is one of the principal reasons you would choose to embark on a career as an Agronomist...if conservation of natural resources goes wrong, nothing else will go right.

Ease and security - are these the drugs that ease the constant challenge of the minds of men? Do nations, like men, become lethargic when well-fed and bodily comfortable? The global food security challenge is so big and so complicated that it cannot be solved by one category of organization.