A career in agriculture and Life Sciences is a booming one. There are a number of organizations that are dedicated solely towards maintaining the ecosystem, sustainability of resources and over-all well being. Given that global warming is on the rise, there is definitely a demand for professionals in this field. And there are a number of colleges that offer courses with cutting-edge facilities, and the guidance of well-trained faculties. Here are some of them –
Wageningen University& Research Centre, Holland, Netherlands
Wageningen University is the most important agricultural university in the world, and is the epicenter of agricultural innovation in Holland. They have a staff of 6,500 and over 10,000 students who work towards maintaining a healthy living environment and food supply for governments and businesses. It has a number of facilities such as laboratories, databases, computational models and area maps. Wageningen University & Research has been designated as a national reference laboratory for viruses and contagious animal diseases (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research) and has a High Containment Unit for these substances. They offer Bachelors degrees in Animal Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Food Technology, International Land and Water Management, Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Tourism, as well as various Master’s and Ph.D. programs.
Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, New York, USA
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is Cornell University’s second largest college. Their disciplines focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. The college offers programs Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. courses in community and rural development, environment and natural resources, food and nutrition, communication, applied economics, agriculture, international programs and life sciences.
Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture
The college was named after Luiz de Queiroz, who donated his farm to the state of Sao Paulo with the aim of establishing an institute that hones professionals in the field of agriculture. The school began 10 years later with a measly 11 students. After briefly functioning as part of the Sao Paulo State Department of Agriculture, it then joined forces with the University of Sao Paulo. The college boasts of top-notch infrastructure and research in the fields of animal science, applied economics, biotechnology, crop science, environmental management, and food science. The college has around 2,200 students and is one of the most renowned institutions in science, technology, teaching and extension for Brazilian agriculture.
College of Horticulture, Thrissur
The College of Horticulture was established in 1972 with the main objective of starting graduate programme in Horticulture and strengthening research and extension activities in Horticultural crops. B.Sc. (Hort.) degree programme was started with 20 students during 1972.Over the years, B.Sc Agriculture programs was then introduced, as well as M.Sc. programmes in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Meteorology, Agricultural Statistics and Home Science.
The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES), UC Davis, USA
CA&ES has an international research reputation with outstanding academics and a diverse, active student community. The college houses 29 majors and 43 minors, and options, in the fields of agriculture, environment, human needs, and social sciences. Students can choose from undergraduate and graduate course options in agricultural and environmental chemistry, animal biology, food science, and hydrologic sciences, to name a few.
Ghent University, Belgium
The Department of Agricultural Economics at Ghent University offers courses related to the economic aspects of agriculture and food. The department also conducts research in the domains of Farm management, Agricultural policy and rural environmental economics, Agro-food marketing and consumer behavior, Agribusiness marketing and management, Rural Development Economics, MODERNA – Modelling and Optimisation of Decisions in Economics, Resources, Nature and Agriculture, and Economics and management of natural resources.
Aarhus University, Denmark
The Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University carries out research in agroecology, which is the interaction between plants, animals, humans and the environment within agroecosystems for the production of food, feed, energy and biobased products. The department had access to unique research facilities, including test stations, laboratories, semi-field facilities, climate chambers, climate stations, fields, plantations, greenhouses and beehives. Students can avail of a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Agrobiology.
