‘The farmers of our country can work the soil, our Agribusiness students work the produce’
Almost fifty years ago, agriculture was only about cultivating and growing crops. The only thing that mattered to 70% of our rural population was their fertile land and how much yield it could produce. Fortunately, this is not the same anymore. Over time, the approach towards agriculture has undergone a progressive change all over the globe.
Along with agriculture, allied sectors such as animal husbandry, fisheries and forestry are vital contributors to our country’s GDP. According to the Economic Survey 2017-18, published in the Financial Express, the agricultural sector employs more than 50% of the total workforce in India. Even though such a massive chunk of our population is dependent on agriculture and agro-related activities for their livelihood, the contribution of this sector is merely 17-18%.
The survey states that there is massive scope for improvement. This industry needs professionals who have in-depth knowledge when it comes to strategically managing agricultural resources and, these are the individuals Symbiosis Institute of International Business aims to create. This is why we, at SIIB, have introduced a one-of-its-kind MBA program in Agri-Business management.
Whether it is adopting new mechanization for farming or creating strategies for optimum agro-output, we equip our students with necessary knowledge to develop a stronger and greener economy.
While pursuing this MBA program, individuals will learn how to improve agricultural input supply, production, commodity assembly and processing, and marketing. Once our students acquire this knowledge, they will be able to recognize the existing challenges in the agro-economy and come up with unique yet error-free solutions to overcome those. The way we cultivate, harvest, adopt new technology, manage logistics and market the farm produce will soon change. All of these changes will help us transform from an agro-based economy into a business-oriented agricultural economy.
Creating “Agri-preneurs” with relevant skills and expertise is our way of giving back to the society as a whole. Only when such professionals are available and ready to make a difference, our economy can prosper and become stronger.