Global agriculture

Currently 37 percent of the world’s workforce is employed in agriculture. More workers will be needed to meet growing nutritional needs around the world. Agriculture accounts for 34 percent of land use and 70 percent of water use globally.

Careers in global agriculture will involve managing natural resources, addressing the emission of greenhouse gasses and patterns in global climate change, managing pest control to ensure healthy crop production, and developing the use of more sustainable energy sources. Are you interested in tackling large-scale challenges like these? Are you interested in travel? Do you enjoy studying languages and other cultures? A career in global agriculture might be for you! 


Global issues require people from many different careers to engage in finding solutions. Some careers—like banking and marketing—may not at first appear to be connected to global agriculture, but the skills of those professions can be applied to solve global issues. Other careers – like international law, policy analyst and international agriculture development—are, by their very nature, global in focus. In general, those who work in global agriculture are involved in projects that help achieve food security and sustainable farming around the world. The projects they undertake are usually complex and require approaches from several areas of expertise to solve them. This is why global agriculture involves such a diverse range of professions.

Global agriculture resources at GNG

Video

Global aquaculture

Have you considered a career in aquaculture? Watch and learn more about this fast-growing, global career.

unit 5 lessons

GMOs go global: should they be labeled?

Should labeling of GMOs be mandatory? What do you know about genetic modification? Is genetic modification helpful or harmful? This unit will help to develop student thinking about genetic modification and food security issues around the…

unit 3 lessons

Growing more food: biotechnology

How will we feed 9 billion people? Grow soybeans using Round-Up Ready seeds to illustrate how biotechnology can be used as a tool to increase production. Introduce students to different options for growing soybeans, investigate…

unit 5 lessons

Here, fishy fishy: aquaculture systems

How does soymeal feed compare to fishmeal feed when raising Tilapia in an aquaculture system? Take on multiple roles within an aquaculture farm including set-up and maintenance of tanks, test water quality, investigate possible feed sources and monitor fish health and growth.

unit 6 lessons

Oh soy good! Milk types and food security

How might soymilk, and other types of milk, help ensure food security? Investigate various milk sources and their composition through core disciplines of Science, Math, Social Studies and Language Arts to discover the availability of milk types within multiple cultures…

leader

Patrick Terrien

President and CEO of Global Education at Columbus Council on World Affairs

Knows about: biology, careers, data, world hunger, biotechnology.

unit 3 lessons

Soy and world hunger

How can soybean products help solve world hunger? Have you ever heard students utter the words “What’s the point? What does this have to do with anything?” This lesson is an engaging 3 part challenge in which students apply their knowledge to…

leader

Steven Hart

Senior Vice President Market Development at Global Seafood Alliance

Knows about: aquaculture, careers, soy-based products, world hunger.

unit 3 lessons

Where does our food come from, anyway? Sustainable ag systems

How do growers’ decisions affect the sustainability of agricultural systems? Understand and appreciate food producers through this case study and determine what decisions must be made on a yearly, monthly, or daily basis to maintain an environmental system that will continue…