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How to Become a Farmer: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Scope, Salary

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Ahana Bhaduri

Senior Content Specialist

A Farmer is responsible for maintaining crops like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and looking after livestock. In India, a Farmer is considred as the backbone of the economy.To become a Farmer, a candidate must have a high school diploma with the required marks. Around 40% of the candidates have pursued this career with a High School Diploma.

In order to become a farmer, aspiring candidates can pursue Diploma or Undergraduate Agriculture Courses from several top Agriculture Colleges across the country such as Punjab Agricultural University, ANGRAU, GBPUAT, and many more. The average fees for the courses range from INR 50,000 to INR 6 lakhs. Certain colleges enroll students on the basis of Agriculture Entrance Exams such as ICAR AIEEA, OUAT, KEAMCEE etc.

There is a high demand for Farmers in India and they hold about 902,900 jobs. The main advantage of being a Farmer is that they do not require a high investment in education.

A Farmer in India earns from INR 1,50,000 Per annum and it increases according to their work experience. Some of the top job opportunities are Agriculture Officer, Agricultural Agriculture Technician, Agriculture Development Officers, Agriculturists, Marketing Executive, Assistant Plantation Manager, etc

How to Become a Farmer: Quick facts 

Industry Agriculture, Farming
Eligibility Should have completed class 10
Average Starting Salary INR 1,50,000 per annum
Job Opportunity Agriculture Officer, Food Science Technicians, Agriculture Technician, Agriculture Development Officers, Farmers, Veterinary Assistants, etc.

What does a Farmer do

The list of activities that comes under the daily chore of a farmer are listed below for your reference,

  • A Farmer identifies plants, pests, or weeds to ensure appropriate application of farm products. 
  • Farmers also prepare farmland for growing a variety of horticulture products such as flowers, plants, sod, and trees as required. Keeping records of crops, pesticides, or herbicide usage also comes under their main responsibility.
  • A Farmer keeps a track of ditches, pipes, checks the livestock in their cages, hutches, or yards with wheelbarrows or tractors, and operates and service farm machinery.
  • A Farmer also herds livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures as well. 
  • Besides this, Farmers sprays fertilizers or pesticides to control insects and weeds, examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury, and administer the vaccine to protect animals from disease as well.

Steps to Become a Farmer

There are few steps that a candidate needs to follow to become a Farmer:

  • Decision-making: A candidate needs to decide which career they want to pursue before their 10th standard as hard work really requires in this field. Thus, a candidate should take a former decision and start preparing to become a Farmer. 
  • Choose the correct Subjects: Most candidates who want to be a Farmer pursue an Agricultural-related major, however, that is not necessarily a prerequisite. Selecting the subjects of interest is going to be helpful for the students. Students completing their 10+2 in Science stream with subjects like Biology have an extra edge in the career of Agriculture.
  • Selecting Correct Colleges: If you're going to get admission to the best colleges then you have to score very well in the entrance exams. Go through a bit of research of different colleges, their ranking, students review, Fees, placements opportunities which help to determine the status of the college. A candidate is advised to prepare all the documents that are required during the admission process and if possible then connect with alumni of the college for gaining experience. 
  • Entrance Exam Preparation: Preparation of the Entrance Examination is really necessary if you plan to get into some top government colleges. Some of the points that can help are to revise class 10 + 2 syllabus thoroughly, solve previous years questions papers, understand the exam pattern
  • Work Experience: Farmers don't need any work experience for their job. But having experience will help to upskill their profession, a candidate can consider some certification courses to work in a field related to Agriculture.

Types of Farmers

Below listed are some types of Farmers based on the job roles and the area of specialization they have expertise in.

  • Agricultural Equipment Operators: An agricultural equipment operator uses a variety of farm equipment for sowing seeds and operates machines such as conveyor belts, separators, cleaners, and dryers. A Farmer also operates machines such as conveyor belts, cleaners, separators, and dryers and they may make adjustments and minor repairs to equipment. The average salary of an agricultural equipment operator ranges from INR 1.5 LPA to INR 1.95 LPA.
  • Animal Breeders: An Animal Breeder uses their knowledge of genetics for selecting animals that will produce offspring with desired traits and characteristics. Along with this, Animal breeders keep detailed records to know which animals to breed and when to breed them and they also note animals' health, size, and weight, as well as the amount and quality of the product they produce and also track the traits of animals' offspring. The average salary of an Animal Breeder ranges from INR 1.6 LPA to INR 2 LPA.
  • Crop, nursery, and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers: These farmworkers and laborers perform tasks such as harvesting, growing vegetables, and other crops. These workers also plant, irrigate, harvest crops, and load them for shipment.
  • Greenhouse workers prepare greenhouse beds for growing trees, plants, and flowers. The responsibility of these crop nursery workers is to cut, roll, and stack sod, stake trees and move field-grown shrubs and trees. The average salary of Crop, nursery and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers is around 1.6 LPA.
  • Farm and ranch animal farmworkers: The work of Farm and ranch animal farm workers is to care for animals such as goats, horses, poultry, shellfish, cattle, and bees. All these animals usually are raised to supply fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, or honey. Many animal workers clean and maintain animal housing areas every day. The average salary of Farm and ranch animal farmworkers ranges from INR 1.8 LPA to INR 2 LPA.

How to Become a Farmer in India

To become a Farmer, you need to start inculcating skills like irrigation, farming, have knowledge regarding greenhouse effect, pest control, herbicides, farm equipment, etc. 

Below mentioned are the level-wise preparations that a candidate must do from class 12th onwards to become a Farmer.

  • School Level Preparation: Students who wish to become Farmers must have a science subject combination such as physics chemistry biology at a higher secondary level as it will be a great advantage to them afterward. To become a Farmer, a student needs to choose the subjects properly and should start preparing accordingly.

How to Become a Farmer after the 12th

  • UG preparation: To get admission in Farming courses, a candidate has to complete a high school diploma. A candidate can also pursue a bachelor’s in agriculture. The duration of the undergraduate course in India is 3 years to become a Farmer.
  • PG Preparation: After graduation, a candidate can pursue further education to become a Farmer. A candidate can go for a master's degree or postgraduate diploma (PGD) in agriculture. They need to prepare for the entrance exam. Few colleges give admission based on merit too.

Farming Courses

Some of the top courses that can be pursued to become a Farmer are listed below for your reference,

BSc Agriculture

BSc in Agriculture is a 3 year UG level bachelor degree made in such a way that the candidates can work in the future as an agricultural officer, plant breeder, and animal breeder in different setups in both Government and private sectors. The syllabus and the course curriculum of the BSc agricultural courses include class lessons, lab sessions, field trips, practical training, cattle training, etc.

Admission Process: Some colleges give admission based on merit while some colleges conduct entrance examinations to get admission in BSc Agriculture courses. 

  • Merit-based: Candidates are selected based on the marks obtained at 10 + 2 level. 
  • Entrance-based: Few colleges conduct an entrance examination for BSc Agriculture courses. There might be subsequent counseling sessions after the conduction of the entrance exam and the selected candidates will then be called for document verification but it totally depends on the college.

Eligibility Criteria: For the AP EAPCET 2023 entrance examination, a candidate should fulfill the eligibility criteria set by the conducting body. These include:

  • Age Limit: candidate must be 16 years of age. There is no upper age limit.
  • Exam Qualification: A candidate should have completed their 10+2 from a recognized board.
  • Nationality: A candidate needs to be an Indian/ Persons of India Origin (PIO)/ Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card Holders.

MSc Agriculture

MSc in Agriculture is a postgraduate level degree course of 2 years that includes various scientific processes that are involved in agriculture. The course helps the students to master various latest technologies and deals with various advanced farming techniques and the scientific study of agriculture.

Admission Process: Some colleges give admission based on merit while some colleges conduct entrance examinations to get admission in MSc Agriculture courses. 

  • Merit-based: Candidates are selected based on the marks obtained at 10 + 2 level. 
  • Entrance-based: Few colleges conduct an entrance examination for MSc Agriculture courses. There might be subsequent counseling sessions after the conduction of the entrance exam and the selected candidates will then be called for document verification but it totally depends on the college.

Eligibility Criteria: For the ICAR AIEEA entrance examination, a candidate should fulfill the eligibility criteria set by the conducting body. These include:

  • Age Limit: A candidate must be 16 years of age as of August 31, 2023. There is no upper age limit.
  • Exam Qualification: A candidate should have completed their 10+2 from a recognized board and need to secure 50% aggregate marks in 10 + 2 examinations.
  • Nationality: A candidate must be a citizen of India.

MTech Agricultural Engineering

MTech Agricultural Engineering is a two-year postgraduate program that covers topics such as food processing, food production technologies, agricultural processes, and so on. The course deals with the theory applications and techniques of the agriculture field in order to enhance the productivity of particular crops with great innovations.

Admission Process: Admission is strictly done via entrance examinations such as GATE or university level entrance examination followed by a personal interview round.

  • Entrance-based: Candidates are offered admission based on their entrance examination score in GATE or some University level examination. Candidates who are shortlisted are then called for the Personal Interview round.
  • Age Limit: There is no maximum age limit to appear in the test.
  • Education Qualification: A candidate must have completed a bachelor's degree course in Engineering or equivalent from a recognized University with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks.

Farmer Benefits

Every profession has its own score of benefits, similarly becoming a Farmer also has its own share of pros. Mentioned below are some of the top benefits of becoming a Farmer for your reference,

  • Job opportunities: There are various opportunities that are available for a candidate after completing an Agriculture course such as Farmer, Agriculture Development Officer, Agriculture Technician, Assistant Plantation Manager, etc. 
  • Positive Impact on Career: The most positive impact of being a Farmer is that a candidate gets an extremely different environment to work in.
  • Higher Studies- A candidate can also go for Ph.D.to in Agriculture after completing the master’s in the relevant discipline. 
  • Good Salary: The average starting salary for a Farmer is INR 1,50,000 Lakhs per annum. With experience, it may range from INR 3 LPA to INR 5 LPA.
  • Not much Education is required: A bachelor’s field in agriculture does not necessarily require a high investment in education and thus, a bachelor's degree course is sufficient to get you into this career.

Skills Required to Become a Farmer

The list of skills sets that are essential to become a Farmer are tabulated below,

Dexterity Physical stamina
Listening skills Physical strength
Time management Mechanical skills
Communication skills Discipline

Salary of a Farmer

The salary of a Farmer depends on your experience and expertise in the field. The salary package starts from INR 1,50,000 per annum and can go up to INR 5,00,000 per annum. The tabulation below depicts the average salary package of an Farmer.

Average Annual Salary

Name of Organization Average Annual Salary
Govt INR 1,50,000
Private INR 1,50,000

Specialization Wise

Specializations Average Salary
Agricultural Equipment Operator INR 2,10,000
Animal Breeder INR 3,00,000
Crop, Nursery, and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers INR 1,50,000
Farm and ranch animal farmworkers INR 1,80,000

Gender Wise

Gender Average Annual Salary
Male INR 1,50,000
Female INR 1,50,000

Experience Wise

Experience Average Annual Salary
Fresher INR 1,50,000
Experienced INR 5,00,000

What After After Farming Courses

After succesfully completing farming courses, candidates can proceed to pursue the following steps as mentioned below, 

  • Higher Education: A candidate can go for a Ph.D. in Agriculture after completing their masters and have better employment opportunities.
  • Start Job: Various job opportunities in agriculture are available for a candidate looking for a bright future after doing a bachelor's course. There are many research projects available and teaching work related to agriculture in many Agricultural departments, Commercial farming, Extension services, Research organizations, etc.

How to Become a Farmer: FAQs

Ques. Is it worth doing an Farmer course?

Ans. Yes, it's worth enough as many job opportunities are available for a candidate, and also the starting salary package for a Farmer is quite good too. 

Ques. Are there any specific books to become a Farmer?

Ans. Some of the good books that can be referred to include Home Loan Counselling by Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (Taxmann Publications Private Limited), Understanding How to Handle Home Loans by Sachin Mittal, Credit Appraisal & Analysis Of Financial Statements by R.K. Gupta (Notion Press, Inc), etc.

Ques. Is it important to have work experience to become a Farmer?

Ans. No, a candidate does not require any work experience to become a Farmer. 

Ques. Is an Agriculture course difficult?

Ans. No, it’s not a difficult one. It’s an easy course as compared to the other Biology courses such as MBBS, BDS, Veterinary Science, etc. It’s quite easy and has more practical applications than learning. Besides this, field experience is much more valued here than qualification.

Ques. Is there any scholarship option available for the students abroad to become Farmers?

Ans. Yes, there are various universities abroad offering scholarships to deserving students who want to become AFarmers. They need to fulfill the eligibility criteria to avail the scholarship. Some of the scholarships cover all the costs of attendance at the university. You can check on the official website of the particular college.

Ques. Can a career as a Farmer be beneficial in recent times?

Ans. In the next ten years, the employment of Farmers is expected to grow at a rate of 1%, faster than the overall occupation. With the increased possibilities brought by new technologies, Farmers are likely to see job growth.

Ques. What is the average cost to become a Farmer in India?

Ans. The average cost to become  Farmer ranges from INR 40,000 to INR 1,50,000 per annum. If the candidates opt to study in a government institute then the average fees will be less as compared to the private ones.

Ques. Is the salary of a Farmer worth it?

Ans. Yes, the average salary of a Farmer is worth it. A Farmer earns from INR 1.5 LPA to INR 5 LPA. The salary package is basically dependent on the organization one is working with, experience and skills. 

Ques. What are the subjects in BSc Agriculture?

Ans. Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Soil Science, Entomology, Plant Biotechnology, Livestock Production and Management, Crop Production, Agricultural Economics, etc are some of the top subjects in BSc Agriculture.

Ques. How many hours does a Farmer work?

Ans. On average, a Farmer works around 40 hours per week with most working somewhere between 60-70 hours per week.

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