In this article, Jessica Lee looks at becoming a farmer: career description & education requirements.
Perhaps, one of the oldest recorded activities is farming since the oldest books of the Bible speak of agriculture and that there were people who raised food and raised animals as a way of working.
Today, farmers play a very important role as they are responsible for producing food, many of them on a medium to large scale; however, we often do not realize how vital their work is to our society.
In this article, the experts from essay assistance will tell you everything about the career of a farmer and what education you need.
What does a farmer do?
A farmer’s main job is to take care of the production of animal or plant foods, as well as the production of renewable raw materials such as rapeseed oil and biogas.
But this activity also includes the control of some farming and rural forestry-related businesses.
The main goal of any farmer is to get good crops and healthy animals to increase profitability and feed the population.
Every time someone eats it all, it is thanks to the farmer; the food production process is quite complex and involves much more than marketing.
Farmers work hard every day of the year to ensure food security. What does one need to study to become a farmer?
There is a misconception that farmers don’t learn, and that was true a couple of years ago.
Now, with the problem of globalisation, more and more farmers are preparing themselves, either through courses or by directly studying professional careers.
Everyone who is involved in food production is already a farmer, and no education is required for that.
To gain more technical knowledge, many now choose a profession related to agriculture: agricultural engineering, agronomic engineering, or veterinary medicine. If you need any help with an assignment during the course, you can contact the best custom essay writing services.
Advantages and disadvantages of farming
Advantages:
- You will be outdoors
- You can work for private or public companies
- You can be an entrepreneur
- You can work on environmental projects
- This is a key area for the economy.
- Variety of jobs
Disadvantages:
- The first job is often low paying
- You may have to travel to find work
- Must be careful when using chemicals
- Farmer’s job requires a lot of physical effort
Types of farmers
Depending on the region and training, there are different types of farmers.
This classification stems from the technology used in production and the type of agriculture used for production.
Among the different types of farmers are:
Traditional farmer
This is the most common type of farmer, so named because he/she uses local systems and generally does not use modern technology in production. Their knowledge is ancestral knowledge, that is, techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Organic farmer
This is one of the most modern profiles of farmers. It aims to create production systems that respect the ecological characteristics of the entire agroecosystem, taking care not to have any impact on the seasons, preserving the natural distribution of plant species, and contributing to soil fertility.
European countries have committed to the 2020-2030 action programme to help all farmers in their countries engage in organic farming to minimise the effects of climate change.
The farmer with integrated production
The presence of integrated farmers is becoming more prominent. They stand out because their production system combines industrial and organic farming.
They permit the use of synthetic agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticides).
Many of the methods used are outlined in specific technical production standards for each crop.
What is a farmer’s workplace?
The farmer works directly in the field; they personally take care of their production system.
They may work on the farm in food production, or they may work directly with livestock, they may be on the mountain if he/she is a farmer with a penchant for floriculture, and some often work directly in nurseries selling seedlings or ornamental plants.
What tasks does a farmer do?
The farmer is one of those who perform the most tasks, because many work from early in the morning, and this is probably the job that knows no holidays or weekends.
Some of the most common tasks a farmer performs include:
- Cultivation work
- Irrigation work
- Fertilizing and tilling plants and soil
- Harvesting
- Pruning
- Grazing
- Feeding animals
- Care of the offspring
- Cleaning of the premises
- Milking
- Caring for hooves
- Permanent registration of animals
- Checking the physical condition of animals
- Maintenance of machinery
What knowledge do you need?
In addition to basic knowledge related to livestock and vegetable production, the farmer must know the breeding cycles, the harvest periods, and the cycle of each plant and have knowledge of mechanics to keep his/her own equipment working optimally.
He/she should know of each of the regulations that exist in his/her area, state, or country, since there are many regulations concerning agricultural production, such as the question of agrochemical regulation in many countries.
What is life like for people who work as farmers?
It is a low-skilled job, so the wages are low, and that means they have a low quality of life or they need another additional income; in some cases, they can take specialisation courses or learn a profession and improve that.
Conclusion
If you really want to be a farmer and think that is your calling, you really have to try hard to become a real professional.
Developing your skills and improving your qualifications will allow you to work all over the world and earn good money. Good luck!
