Agriculture is a vast field, no pun intended. In a core sense, every agricultural initiative involves sowing seeds, nurturing plants and harvesting the produce; however, many differences exist in terms of choice of crops, farming techniques and final use of the farm produce. So, it is easy to get confused with the meaning of different types of agriculture like commercial grain agriculture, shifting cultivation, rudimentary sedentary tillage or plantations. And this article is just what you need if you are wondering what is plantation agriculture?
Read on.
What is plantation agriculture?
Plantation agriculture is a type of capital-intensive commercial farming practice. It involves growing cash crops and plants over a large field, for purely commercial purposes. It means plantation owners grow and sell the produce in exchange for cash. The focus is on the efficient cultivation of a single crop, like tea, coffee, oil palm, cocoa, rubber or vanilla, to achieve high yields and reduce costs. Plantation owners typically use artificial irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides, and plant breeders to increase productivity. These characteristics differentiate plantation agriculture from other primary production systems such as agroforestry, Agri-business, smallholder farming, and pastoralism. Reducing costs by growing only one crop at a time reduces the cost of managing farmland, implementing Agri-technologies and taking intensive care of crops. Any productivity-increasing intervention can be designed to cater specifically to the needs of just one crop.
Advantages of plantation farming practices
Plantation agriculture offers several advantages to plantation owners, local communities, and the country's economy.
Producing commercially lucrative crops at an industrial scale
Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming that can produce commercial crops at an industrial scale with a high level of assurance regarding quality and quantity. Countries get the opportunities to earn valuable foreign exchanges by exporting these crops. Besides, it also helps to establish related industries in the vicinity.
One of the primary reasons behind practising plantation agriculture is to provide raw materials for industries like paper, automobile tyres, biofuels, textiles and food processing. Growing a single crop can help reduce disease risk since planters can selectively avoid plant varieties susceptible to a certain threat. That can make plantation agriculture more efficient than other forms of farming.
Generation of employment for local people
Plantations are labour-intensive farming practices. So, in hilly, arid regions, where the source of employment is limited, large scale plantations often create job opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled local communities.
Plantations are also becoming popular ecotourism destinations, offering small business and employment opportunities in the regions.
Scientific and technology-oriented cultivation practice
Large, professionally managed plantations with significant capital investments can afford to utilise the latest scientific and technological innovations in farming as they are open to opportunities to improve production and maintain quality.
Reducing environmental damage
Though it is controversial, and many environmental experts think differently, strategically managed plantations follow sustainable farming practices which help maintain the local environment, protect soil erosion, improve water quality and enrich flora and fauna.
How can you join plantation farming?
You can be a part of plantation activities as a professional or start up your own plantation venture. Let us discuss the career opportunities on plantation farms.
Career opportunities in plantation agriculture
The following are a few of the roles you can take up:
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Estate managers - Plantations often involve an extensive tract of land covering the forested area, freshwater reserves, residential plots and open land for grazing animals. Managing such a vast property is a full-time responsibility. Estate managers meet these responsibilities and look after the most productive use and maintenance of natural resources within the plantation.
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Farm managers - They are more directly involved with the day to day operations of core farming activities in the plantation like maintaining crops, taking care of soil quality, disease control, fertilisation, plant health, managing production levels and inventory management.
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Procurement managers - They typically manage the sourcing of farm inputs from different vendors. A plantation requires various items and consumable commodities, from fertilisers, pesticides, veterinary supplies, and foods to farming tools and equipment and office stationeries.
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Lab technicians - For maintaining the quality of produce, plantations often conduct regular testing of soil, water quality and plant physiology. Lab technicians typically collect samples, document observations, conduct in situ lab tests, and report management on findings.
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Sustainability compliance officers - They are primarily skilled in adapting sustainable farming techniques, training plantation workers and maintaining the quality of the plantation environment. Modern plantation companies take their operations' environmental impact very seriously, fulfilling their social and environmental responsibilities.
However, job profiles in plantations are not mutually exclusive. You may need to wear several hats on plantation farms as it is not easy to find skilled and qualified professionals in the field. For example, sometimes, farm managers may need to take care of procurements and lab technicians may need to share some responsibilities with estate managers. So, willingness to learn and acquire new skills is critical for succeeding on plantation farmlands.
Academic qualifications for a career in plantation
For a career in plantation agriculture, you can pursue any of the following courses after your class 12 exams:
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BSc (Hons.) in Agriculture
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BSc in Agriculture Economics and Farm Management.
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Integrated B.Sc. (Agriculture) + MBA (Agribusiness)
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BSc in Forestry
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BSc Soil and water management
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BSc in Crop Physiology
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BBA in Agri-business management
Final verdict
So, now, you have a basic idea of what is plantation agriculture, how it contributes to the economic prosperity of a country and communities, and the impact a plantation might have on environmental sustainability. Are you feeling excited?
Get in touch with RNB Global University’s expert academic counsellors who will be delighted to guide you further.