MBA in Agriculture: A Smart Career Choice for the Future of Farming

The need for food has drastically grown in the past decade. The rapid urbanization of agricultural land has added to the challenges faced in meeting global food demands. Even in the 21st century, there are villages that do not have a sustainable agricultural model. The need for professionals who can contribute to the growth and development of agriculture at the global level has never been so high. Comparatively, very few people pursue a career in this field. However, there is a place for individuals who wish to gain managerial skills and intensive knowledge of the business aspects of agriculture. Let’s take a look at the concept of an MBA in Agriculture along with all the crucial details that a student should know.

What is an MBA in Agriculture?

MBA in Agriculture is a postgraduate program that focuses on the business and management side of agriculture. This helps students to understand the modern business strategies related to farming, food production, supply chain management and rural development. This management program includes subjects like:

• Agribusiness management
• Food supply chain
• Marketing of agricultural products
• Rural development
• Finance and farm management

Why Pursue an MBA in Agriculture?

With technological advancement and industrial development, the agricultural sector is deteriorating even though it is a crucial component in the economy of a country. This brings the need for professionals engaged in managing the agricultural well-being of the world. Various international universities and colleges have come up with specialised courses in Agriculture, with an MBA in Agriculture being a prominent one for students aspiring to become leaders in the agrarian sector.

Eligibility Criteria for MBA in Agriculture

To pursue an MBA in Agriculture, candidates must generally have a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or allied fields such as Agricultural Engineering, Dairy Science, Food Technology, Horticulture, Forestry, Veterinary Science, or Home Science.

• Some programs may also consider candidates from non-agriculture backgrounds if they have relevant work experience.
• For Indian universities, most institutes require qualifying scores in entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, or SNAP, followed by Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds.
• For foreign universities, candidates may also need to submit GRE or GMAT scores, depending on the university’s admission criteria.
• Work experience may be preferred, but is not mandatory for most programs.

Also Read: MBA in Japan: Eligibility and Top Universities

MBA in Agriculture Entrance Exam

For admission to the program, candidates must pass either of the applicable entrance tests, which are followed by rounds of Group Discussion and Personal Interviews in the final stages. The primary entry tests for the course include the CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, and other similar exams.

CAT	Common Aptitude Test
MAT	Management Aptitude Test
XAT	Xavier Aptitude Test
CMAT	Common Management Admission Test

Average Tuition Cost and Fees for an MBA in Agriculture

The average tuition fee for an MBA in Agriculture or a related specialization is somewhere between INR 8 to 15 Lacs. The tuition fees vary depending on the country and university. Here are the estimated tuition costs for the MBA in Agriculture:

The tuition fees vary by country and university. Updated estimates are as follows:

Country	Average Tuition Fees (Per Year)	Notes
India	INR 2,00,000 – INR 15,00,000	Top programs include IIM Ahmedabad PGP-FABM, MANAGE, GBPUAT
USA	USD 35,000 – USD 55,000	Programs are mostly Master’s in Agribusiness or Food & AgriBusiness Management; few offer integrated MBA-style programs
Canada	CAD 20,000 – CAD 35,000	Strong agribusiness-focused Master’s programs with co-op opportunities
Australia	AUD 30,000 – AUD 45,000	Offers MBA (Agribusiness) and Master’s programs with global exposure
UK	GBP 18,000 – GBP 30,000	Offers MBA or MSc in Agribusiness / Food & Agribusiness Management
Germany	EUR 10,000 – EUR 20,000	Tuition at public universities for international students; small semester fees may apply
Netherlands	EUR 10,000 – EUR 20,000	English-taught MBA programs in food and agribusiness sectors

Top Indian Universities for MBA in Agriculture

In recent years, the demand for top agriculture business management colleges that deliver MBA in Agribusiness management programs has increased dramatically. In India, there are over 100 MBA in Agri-Business Management schools. The top Agriculture Management colleges in India that offer an MBA in Agriculture are listed below:

University / College	Program Name	Duration
Indian School of Agri-Business, New Delhi	MBA in Agribusiness	2 years
College of Agri-Business Management, Pantnagar	MBA in Agribusiness	2 years
Institute of Agribusiness Management, Bikaner	MBA in Agribusiness	2 years
Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Pune	MBA in Agribusiness	2 years
National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad	PGDM in Agriculture	2 years
ICMS National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur	PGDM in Rural Management	2 years
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar	MBA in Business Management	2 years
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun	MBA in Agribusiness	2 years
Indian Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA)	PGPM in Agribusiness Management	2 years
SAGE University, Indore	MBA in Agribusiness Management	2 years
International School of Management Studies, Pune	MBA in Agribusiness	2 years
IIM Ahmedabad	PGP-FABM (Food & Agribusiness Management)	2 years
Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar	MBA in Agribusiness Management	2 years

MBA in Agriculture Abroad

Studying MBA in Agriculture from abroad is a dream of many students. This requires an understanding of the right university and its requirements. The following are the top universities to pursue an MBA in Agriculture:

University	Location	Program / Specialization
Royal Agricultural University	UK	MBA / MSc in Innovation in Sustainable Food and Agriculture
University of Nicosia	Cyprus	MBA in Agribusiness and Food Enterprise Management
Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia	USA	MS in Agribusiness
University of Alberta	Canada	Integrated Master’s in Agriculture & MBA-style management program
Kazan Federal University	Russia	MBA in Agriculture / Agribusiness
Purdue University & Indiana University	USA	Master’s in Food & Agribusiness Management (MS / Integrated programs)
International School of Agri Management	Spain	International Agribusiness Management (Master’s)
Lincoln University	New Zealand	Master of Management in Agribusiness
University of Waikato	New Zealand	Master of Management Studies – Agribusiness
Kansas State University	USA	Master of Agribusiness (MS/MBA-style)

Also Read: Top Agriculture Courses

Other Master’s Degree Courses in Agriculture

There are a variety of other postgraduate courses to consider if you plan to grow in the field of agriculture. Some of these courses with its related institutes are discussed in the table below:

University or Business School	Course
The University of Adelaide	Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business
Audencia Business School	MS in Food and Agribusiness Management
Colorado State University	MSc in Agricultural and Resource Economics
University of Lincoln	M.Sc in Agri-food Technology
Estonian University of Life Sciences	M.A in Agrifood Business Management
University of Copenhagen	MSc in Agricultural Economics
Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences	MSc in Agricultural Production Chain Management
Poznan University of Life Sciences	MSc Economics – Agribusiness
New Mexico State University	Master of Agriculture – Agribusiness
University of Maryland	Master of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics
Oklahoma State University	Master of Agriculture in Agribusiness
Queen’s University Belfast	PgDip Business for Agri-Food and Rural Enterprise – Business Communication
The University of Queensland	Master of Agribusiness
North Dakota State University	Master of Science in International Agribusiness
North Dakota State University	Master of Science in Agribusiness and Applied Economics

MBA in Agriculture Syllabus

MBA in Agriculture includes a number of subjects on the specialised fields. THese subjects includes topics related to them and improve the understanding of students. The following are the topics included in the syllabus of the MBA in Agriculture:

First Year Subjects

Second Year Subjects

Agricultural & Food Policy Agricultural Finance Marketing of Agricultural Inputs Strategic Food Marketing International Agri-Food Trade Value Chain Management – Applications in Agribusiness CINE: Understanding Creativity, Innovation, Knowledge, Networks And Entrepreneurship Food and Agri-business International Strategies and Organisations Micro Finance Management Food Supply Chain Management Analysing and Building Competencies in Carbon Finance Public Policy Social Entrepreneurship: Innovating Social Change Sales and Distribution Management For Agriculture Management for Agribusiness  Projects Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Agribusiness Leadership Agricultural Futures and Option Markets Agricultural Markets and Pricing Economics of Food Quality Applied Agricultural Trade and Policy Analysis Managing Sustainability Managing Energy Businesses Investigating Corporate Social Irresponsibility

Agricultural & Food Policy Agricultural Finance Marketing of Agricultural Inputs Strategic Food Marketing International Agri-Food Trade Value Chain Management – Applications in Agribusiness CINE: Understanding Creativity, Innovation, Knowledge, Networks And Entrepreneurship Food and Agri-business International Strategies and Organisations Micro Finance Management Food Supply Chain Management Analyzing and Building Competencies in Carbon Finance Public Policy Social Entrepreneurship: Innovating Social Change Sales and Distribution Management For Agriculture Management for Agribusiness  Projects Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Agribusiness Leadership Agricultural Futures and Option Markets Agricultural Markets and Pricing Economics of Food Quality Applied Agricultural Trade and Policy Analysis Managing Sustainability Managing Energy Businesses Investigating Corporate Social Irresponsibility

Popular Courses after MBA in Agriculture

Agriculture courses are here for students to understand the practice of farming along with management. Here are some popular courses to pursue after an MBA in Agriculture-

• PhD in Agriculture
• PhD in Agribusiness Management
• PhD in Agriculture and Food Security
• PhD in Agricultural and Extension Education.
• PhD in Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics.
• PhD in Agri-Environmental Economics.
• PhD in Transformation of Global Agri-Food.

MBA in Agriculture from IGNOU

IGNOU is one of the most popular open universities in India. They offer a wide range of programmes and courses to students who wish to study remotely and gain valuable skills to advance in their careers. IGNOU does not offer an MBA in Agriculture; rather, the institution offers PG diploma, certificate and diploma courses in the field of agriculture. Here is a list of courses offered by IGNOU-

• Post-Graduate Diploma in Food Safety and Quality Management 
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Agriculture Policy
• Diploma in Dairy Technology 
• Diploma in Value-Added Products from Fruits and Vegetables 
• Diploma in Watershed Management 
• Diploma in Meat Technology 
• Certificate in Sericulture 
• Certificate in Water Harvesting and Management 
• Certificate in Poultry Farming 
• Certificate in Beekeeping 
• Certificate in Organic Farming 
• Awareness Programme on Dairy Farming

MBA in Agriculture in the USA

MBA in Agriculture is a popular MBA specialisation in the USA. It is offered by universities like North Dakota State University, Northwest Missouri State University, University of Minnesota, Indiana University Bloomington and North Dakota State University. Here are some popular courses for an MBA in Agriculture in the USA-

• MBA in Agribusiness
• MS in Food and AgriBusiness Management
• MS in Applied Economics
• MS in Supply Chain Management
• MBA/MS in Agricultural Economics
• MBA/MS in Business Analytics

Career After MBA in Agriculture

The need for innovation in the agricultural industry is increasing more than ever. To achieve the goal, companies require professionals who can strategise and implement new ideas to boost the production and effective distribution of food. The industries that offer jobs to graduates with an MBA in Agriculture include: 

• Food Production Companies
• Farming Industries
• Public and Private Sector
• Marketing Industries 
• Retail Industries
• FMCG Companies
• Tea/Coffee Plantation Gardens
• FCI Offices
• Colleges & Universities
• Food Processing Companies

Job Profiles & Career Prospects After an MBA in Agriculture

There is a number of job profiles in agribusiness that you can find while choosing a career in Agriculture. Here are some of the job positions you can take after an MBA in Agriculture:

• Agricultural Manager
• Agriculture Operations Specialist
• Marketing Analyst
• Accounting Manager
• Bioterrorism Consultant
• Financial Analyst
• Agribusiness Owner/Manager
• Alternative Energy Consultant
• Business Manager
• Operation Officer
• Credit Analyst
• Sales Manager
• Rural Manager
• Planning
• Commercial Executive
• Investment Analyst
• Sales Representative
• Relationship Manager

MBA in Agriculture Salary 

Some of the most popular employment options available following an MBA in Agri-Business are listed below, along with an annual salary. Look at them to understand the well-paying option for the graduates.

Job Profile	Annual Salary
Farm Appraiser	INR 4 Lac
Agriculture Policy Analyst	INR 3-4 Lac
Market analyst	INR 6 Lac
Financer	INR 6 Lac
Quality Controller	INR 5 Lac
Marketing Head	INR 7 Lac
Bio compost sales head	INR 5 Lac
Relationship manager	INR 4-10 Lac
Operation Manager	INR 4-5 Lac

Also Read: MBA After Mechanical Engineering: Benefits and Top Programs

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The agricultural industry is a whole new world to explore with a collection of job profiles. If you’ve made up your mind to pursue an MBA in Agriculture, our counselors at Leverage Edu are here to help you in choosing the right university to take the first big step towards a cultivated career. For the latest updates around study blogs, you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & also subscribe to our newsletter.