agricultural economist.pdf

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Agricultural Economist

The primary objective of agricultural economists is to maximize profitability in agriculture to the

benefit of soc iety. They pursue this aim through studying and analysing the aspects that influence

the agricultural economy and distribution of resources, such as land, raw materials, labour and

machinery.

This includes the manufacture and distribution of agricultural means of production; farming itself; the

understanding of and, in some cases, the determination of, government policy concerning agricultural

and consumption affairs; the purchasing, processing and distribution of agricultural products; the

financing of all aspects of agricultural production; the marketing and selling of agricultural products;

economic evaluation of agricultural projects; agricultural development; as well as research and giving

advice on all these facets.

Agricultural economists advise the agricultural sector on issues such as financing, marketing,

agricultural development, policy, research and production. They use mathematical models to develop

programmes that can predict the length and nature of agricultural cyc les; they do research, and then

review and analyze their research and report on it in clear, concise language that can be understoodby non-economists.

The field of study of agricultural economics can be divided into seven components, namely:

Production economy: This involves the relationship between the inputs, production and profit as well

as labour utilization.

Financial management: This includes aspects such as the management process itself, agricultural

planning and the principles of financing.

Agricultural marketing: This involves all aspects of marketing such as the price system and market

types.

Agricultural policy: This involves the interaction between agriculture and other sectors, the trade

policy, production policy, price and income policy and the government functions.

Agricultural development: This is about the role which agriculture plays in the development of the

economy as well as the role of the government and private initiative.

Operational research: This is the application of economic simulation and optimization techniques on

agricultural problems.

Agricultural environmental economics: The economic evaluation of the interaction between agricultura

production processes and the natural environment.

Agricultural economists work both indoors, in offices and such places as conference venues, and

outdoors, doing research and consultat ions on farms. They often need to travel to perform research

on special projects. They need to be comfortable working with government, national and international

trade policies and regulations, production costs and techniques, market trends, economic principles

and theories, statistical data and other financial information.

Satisfying Aspects

- variety of research projects

- meeting different people

- working in various locations
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Demanding aspects

- very detailed work

- heavy responsibilities to furnish correct information at all times

- working to deadlines

- sometimes having to work overtime.

Requirements

An agricultural economist should:

- be interested in the environment, particularly as it relates to agriculture;- be interested in economics;

- have a high mathematical, analytical and sc ientific aptitude;

- be creative, thorough and analytical;

- have good communication, research and organisational skills.

School Subjects

National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course

Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.

Compulsory Subjects: Mathematics

Recommended Subjects: Physical Sc iences, Life Sciences, Economics, Agricultural Sciences

Training

Degree: the minimum qualification is a BSc (Agric) degree or a BCom (Agricultural Economics) degree.

The BSc (Agric) degree takes four years to complete and it prepares candidates for careers in which

not only knowledge of economical principles is necessary but also biological / agricultural knowledge.

Besides careers in marketing and financing, the BSc (Agric) degree is especially suitable for persons in

farming, input and processing industries.

The BCom (Agricultural Economics) degree takes three years to complete. The aim of the degree is to

train experts for careers in Agricultural Economics in which biological / scientific knowledge is less

important, such as in most facets of marketing, financing, commerce and income and trade policy.

Universities offering these degrees are UP, US, UKZN, UL, UFS and UFH.

Employer

- agricultural boards and development corporations

- consultants and development organizations

- financial houses and commercial banks

- insurance companies

- commercial and manufacturing companies concerned with agricultural products, such as the

fertilizer-, chemical-, machinery-, forage-, meat processing, fruit trade and processing and food

preservation and canning industries

- Development Bank of SA

- various government departments, such as the Departments of: Agriculture; Foreign Affairs; Trade

and Industry; Labour; Environmental Affairs and Tourism; Water Affairs and Forestry- self-employment - many agricultural economists set up their own consultancies

Contact

Agricultural Business Chamber

P O Box 1508

Pretoria, 0001

Agricultural Economics Association of SA

Department of Agricultural Economics

University of Pretoria

Pretoria, 0002


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Agricultural Research Council

P O Box 8783

Pretoria, 0001

Tel: (012) 427-9700 Fax: (012) 342-3948

Department of Agriculture

Private Bag X250

Pretoria, 0001

Tel: (012) 319-7328

www.arc.agric.za

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