Agritech careers demand a high degree of cross-collaboration, meaning the skills needed to stay afloat are diverse in nature.
Agritech careers are defined as roles in which the professional uses data, AI, robotic and biotech innovations in order to contribute meaningfully to the fields of agriculture and sustainability, among others. It is an incredibly diverse sector in that it combines elements of many disciplines across the STEM spectrum.
With that in mind, if you are aiming for a long, happy and successful agritech career, what skills would serve you best?
Biology and biotech
It goes without saying that a knowledge of plant biology, earth science and genetics is absolutely crucial for anyone aiming to be an expert in agritech. Recent innovations such as CRISPR-Cas9 and other gene editing technologies are ideal opportunities for upskilling in new areas, but professionals should ensure that they also have a foundational biology and biotech education.
Students and experts should also look at alternative fields such as synthetic biology, which is the application of engineering principles to existing biotechnology techniques such as DNA sequencing and genome editing, in order to modify or redesign organisms.
Environmental science
For the STEM professionals looking to make the planet more sustainable, agritech experts have real potential to reduce the damage the human race is inflicting on the Earth. Pest management for example, which utilises biocontrol, cultural and mechanical methods, can manage insects in a manner that won’t harm the environment, via pheromone traps and insect release systems.
Agritech specialists should consider studying fields such as water management, soil health and climate-related topics, in order to conceptualise, develop, test and eventually implement sustainable, agricultural systems and technologies. Interesting and relevant technologies worth becoming acquainted with include sensors, satellites and digital twins.
Engineering
For the aspiring agricultural engineers, there are a number of areas that should be made a key priority. Professionals should have knowledge of machine maintenance, which involves identifying, repairing and preventing failure within on-site equipment. This is a skill common among mechanical, electrical and civil engineers.
Other useful skills for people looking to expand their agritech education for a specific engineering career in this area should brush up on data and analytics, conservation and automation. As always, an engineering career, including one in the agritech space, is going to require a basic understanding of maths and physics.
Robotics and automation
More and more, farm work and tasks in the agritech space are being outsourced to robotic and automated systems. Not only is this less intrusive on many sensitive environments, but it reduces the risk of injury (and even death) associated with dangerous machinery.
As these devices become more common, knowing how they are made and operated will become crucial to long-term success. Professionals and students should brush up on their programming skills, their machine learning capabilities and knowledge of mechanical repair.
Geospatial technology
Geographic information systems (GIS) is becoming a topic that is relevant to a wide array of STEM careers. For agritech experts, it is useful to have a tool through which they can remotely track, map and monitor the health of a crop and improve overall agricultural practices.
To adequately and effectively deploy GIS tech, experts should ensure they have a strong background in IoT, sensor technology, and data and analytics.
Ultimately, agritech careers have expanded in the years since AI automation and innovation became an industry norm. Not only have they become safer and more sustainable, they are directly influencing the ability of STEM professionals to tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems.
So, if you envision a future for yourself in which you are at the forefront of a fun, innovative and dynamic career in agritech, consider adopting some of the aforementioned skills and any new and emerging trends that pop up along the way.
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