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Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Engineering Technician
An agricultural engineer uses his/her knowledge of engineering, technology and agricultural practices to solve agricultural problems. The agricultural engineering technician assists the agriculturist in his work and helps with the collection of information to the farming industry. There are three types of agricultural technicians, namely the agricultural extension technician, the agricultural resource technician and the agricultural research technician.

Job Characteristics
        

    Agricultural Engineer
  • Performing various functions such as research, development, testing, engineering surveys, planning and counselling.
  • Studying what effects light, humidity and temperature have on plants and animals.
  • Designing instruments, machinery, equipment, buildings and other structures, for example farm dams, canals, pipeline pump systems, mechanised irrigation, planning, and evaluation systems and agricultural equipment.
  • Developing methods to improve production, processing and distribution of agricultural produce.

    • Agricultural Engineering Technician

  • Designing structures and machinery for farming purposes such as water storage and soil conservation and processing.
  • Organizing the transport, storage and processing of agricultural products.
  • Researching and developing agricultural production systems.
  • Classifying, describing and plotting a region’s natural resources.

    •
Requirements

Secondary Education
Possession of at least a HIGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, with matriculation exemption is required to be admitted to a South African university (in order to register as professional engineer). A HIGCSE or outstanding IGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, is needed to enrol at a South African technikon (in order to register as agricultural engineering technician).

Compulsory subjects
Mathematics and Physical Science on HIGCSE level (South Africa)

Tertiary Education
A four-year B. Sc. (Engineering) degree is offered by the Universities of Pretoria and Natal. No such formal training is currently offered in Namibia. After completion of this course the candidate can register at the Engineering Council of Namibia as engineer-in-training. After a three-year training period, the candidate can register as professional engineer (Pr. Eng.).
If the candidate wants to register as technician in the agricultural field, he/she needs to complete

N. Dip.: Agriculture, including Management, Research, Animal Production, Crop Production, Mixed Farming and Rural Development and Extension. This is offered by various technikons throughout South Africa, eg., Technikons Free State, Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, M L Sultan and Mangosuthu. After a three-year training period, the candidate may apply for registration as an engineering technician with the Engineering Council of Namibia.

Personality
The prospective agricultural engineer should be creative, have an analytical mind and a keen interest in agricultural activities. He/she should also possess excellent writing and communication skills. The agricultural engineering technician should be scientifically and practically inclined and have a lively interest in agriculture.

Work Opportunities
Agricultural engineers and technicians are employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, and agricultural firms. Opportunities are, however, limited in this field.
 

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