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What can you do with an MBA in Agribusiness?

SOURCE: Paul J. RICHARDS / AFP
Food demand is expected to increase by 59% to 98% by 2050, which means those in the agriculture sector have a pivotal role to play in the production of food. 

Jul 5 | 2 minutes read |

By Shekinah Kannan 

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Keeping the world fed is big business. 

The United Nations projects that the world population could reach 9.7 billion by 2050. Food demand is also expected to increase by 59% to 98% by 2050, which means those in the agriculture sector have a pivotal role to play in the production of food. 

For those interested to play a role in the industry, taking an agribusiness programme can offer a pathway towards helping you reach this goal. 

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Why study agribusiness?

The term agribusiness refers to economic activities derived from or connected to farm products. This includes crop production, crop processing, transportation and distribution.

Agribusiness is also a sector that has a heavy impact on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Basic education in agribusiness was designed to prepare professionals for employment across a variety of fields. These include business, finance, marketing, international agriculture, policy formation, farm and ranch management, resource economics, rural development, banking, and even real estate appraisal. 

An MBA in agribusiness, however, can fuse the best of both worlds: business and agriculture.

What can you do with an MBA in agribusiness?

This degree can help professionals find work or position themselves for a promotion in the operations sector of food production and distribution.  The courses in an MBA in agribusiness will teach them to study how to manage and organise the journey of food items, taking them from the farm, to food processors, packaging, and eventually to foot retailers. 

An MBA in Agribusiness also offers graduates a unique advantage of working across a range of enterprises of all sizes. Climbing up the higher rungs of the career ladder could mean enjoying a six-figure salary.

Among the common top tier jobs available to those with an advanced agribusiness degree according to TopMBA include:

  • Agricultural Logistics Manager (average salary: US$109,953)
  • Agricultural Marketing Manager (average salary: US$103,459)
  • HR Manager (average salary: US$101,499)
  • Accounting Manager (average salary: US$97,539)
  • Agriculture Operations Manager (average salary: US$70,429)

Some of the top recruiters are multinationals such as Syngenta, Monsanto, Cargill, Bayer, BASF, John Deere, Corteva and more.

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Where can you get an MBA in Agribusiness?

Rushford Business School in Geneva Switzerland offers an MBA in Agribusiness Management, a 16-month online programme focused on creating skilled professionals in large global business houses, local industries, and small to medium scale enterprises. 

Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, US, offers a full-time, in-person MBA in Agricultural Economics. This programme is a logical extension for students who have an undergraduate degree in agricultural business.

North Dakota State University’s MBA in Agribusiness focuses on the intersection of business and agriculture to develop in-demand experts.  

    
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