The key goal of our country's agricultural policy is to achieve food security. To achieve this goal, we need not only agricultural scientists but also agricultural economists who can apply the principles of economics to ensure greater productivity in agriculture. As technology and economic forces drive growth in this sector, the demand for agricultural economists increases.

The programme teaches you how to deal with the constantly changing economy and make decisions concerning risk and uncertainty of agricultural production, reliance on natural resources, key aspects of institutions that govern food and agriculture, and the competitive structures within agribusiness.

Besides land appraisal, crop grading, agricultural trade and finance, wholesale and retail marketing and sale of agricultural produce products, an agricultural economist's work covers farm management, cooperative management, setting priorities for research, investment analysis and planning, assessment of returns on investment and more -in short, all those activities that ensure agricultural productivity at the planned growth rate.

There are promising job options in this field. There are openings in co-operatives, the banking and insurance sector, private firms in the agricultural sector, foreign embassies, non-profits and donor agencies, the agriculture ministry, the Indian Economic Service as also in the field of research and academics.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/