1st Global Perspective- Candidate 3
Around the world, agriculture has always been one of the largest sources of employment. According to the World Bank, over 25% of the global workforce is employed in agriculture, though this number varies widely by region. With the growth of technology, the nature of the agricultural jobs is changing rather than disappearing entirely.
Globally, technological innovation has two sides:
- Job Creation Through New Opportunities:
- Agri-tech startups are emerging across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These businesses develop apps, drones, and precision-farming tools, creating jobs not only in farming but also in technology development, sales, and maintenance.
- In India, digital platforms like AgriBazaar connect farmers directly to buyers, creating jobs in logistics and digital services.
- In the U.S. and Europe, precision agriculture (using sensors, GPS, and drones) has created new roles for data analysts, drone operators, and agricultural engineers.
- The global “green economy” movement is also driving investment into sustainable farming, such as solar-powered irrigation, which requires training and technicians.
- Job Reduction in Manual Labor:
- Mechanization, such as self-driving tractors and robotic harvesters, reduces the demand for traditional farm labor.
- In countries like the U.S., large-scale industrial farming employs far fewer workers today than it did decades ago, because machines can complete tasks that once required hundreds of workers.
- This trend has raised concerns in developing countries, where small-scale farmers rely heavily on manual labor and may not easily transition into technology-based roles.
Globally, organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlight the importance of skills development alongside technological progress. They argue that technology will not necessarily destroy jobs but will transform them. For example, someone who once worked as a farmhand may need to be trained to operate and maintain machinery or manage digital farm records. Another important factor is climate change. Globally, agriculture is under pressure due to extreme weather and declining soil fertility. Technology such as climate-smart agriculture, hydroponics, and drought-resistant crops is creating new areas of research, innovation, and employment opportunities. Countries like Israel have become world leaders in drip irrigation technology, while the Netherlands is pioneering greenhouse farming — both of which require skilled workers and technicians. In summary, the global perspective shows that technological innovation in agriculture does not have a single outcome. It creates new opportunities in technology, logistics, research, and sustainability while reducing the demand for certain traditional labor roles. The real challenge is ensuring workers worldwide have access to education and training so they can transition into these new jobs.