The development of sustainable agriculture is opening up new professional opportunities such as conservation biologists environmental scientists, food and safety specialists.grain crop

Sustainable agriculture is not necessarily organic agriculture and although they are different, they  are often used interchangeably. Sustainability  relates to managing renewable resources, waste, biomass and energy, water resources and controlling and reducing Co2 emission.

Sustainable agriculture is slowly making strides. We are seeing a progressive reconversion from traditional agriculture based on intensive farming towards newer more sophisticated techniques. In many cases the reconversion is difficult to implement because of lack of knowledge ,  farmers  need professional support and that is where expert knowledge becomes a requisite.

Conservation biologist  is in charge of protecting endangered species and preserving the habitat.  Conservation biologist have been around since the 1980’s when the extinction and loss of natural habit was becoming an issue, they study ecosystems and help protecting rare and endangered species, plants and animals alike. They often work for non-profit organization and help bring awareness on the importance of preserving  natural habitats. Soil scientists are expert in classifying soil. They conduct research on soil degradation or soil erosion as well as on the effect of substances such as nutrients and pesticides through soil profile, moisture retention or drainage, sustainability and environmental impact. They provide reports for land planners by evaluating and interpreting soil and soil related data not only to understand how they contribute to agricultural production but how they affect environmental quality. Management of soils for land enhancement such as landscape design, site restoration. Analysis of forest soils and wetlands.

Agronomists deal with plants and their interaction with soil and the environment. They make use of sophisticated technology such as biotechnology  to breed and develop new crop hybrids and varieties that grow more efficiently and are more beneficial for consumers. In modern agriculture we have  Hydrologists  to help asses and protect our water supplies and quality. They study and  prevent problems such as water shortage or problems that are caused by floods, draught, and impact of human activities such agriculture in the supply of water, they help assessing the quality of water and develop strategies to reduce the impact of land use on water quality. Ecological or environmental auditors perform  an analogous function to financial audits. They are classified   in compliance audits and management system audits. They determine an organization’s environmental performance and position by adopting environmental legislation to reduce consequences of a company’s action on the environment. The most important result of an eco auditor is to recommend how a company can reduce its impact on the environment  in a cost efficient manner. They work by inspecting and analysing the various production processes and checking their compliance with legislation.