Hydroponics as a Career: Make the world look better, brighter and greener!

It has been estimated that the world population is supposed to reach a gargantuan figure of 10.6 billion by the end of 2050 and with urbanization eating into arable lands and making it infertile to use, the most prominent question would be, if there will be enough food to go round? Isn't this a sign to worry? But with Hydroponics as the emerging new trend in the agricultural research fraternity, the need to worry has vitiated and for those who wish for a growth opportunity and possess skills in agro farming, Hydroponics as a career would satisfy all their demands in the years to come.

Hydroponics, a recently remodeled rage in consideration of vertical farming, is a fascinating method of growing plants and gives a garden lover or a serious grower many hours of pleasure and they can completely switch to Hydroponics as a career option for them in future. Though Hydroponics is at a very nascent stage in India but it is believed to be a humongous money minting business in the years to come. In scientific terms, Hydroponics is a method of cultivation where plants are fed with water enriched with nutrient elements for plant growth. In this very method, the roots are in contact with nutrient solution which contains essential element in optimum amount. And for a layman to understand what exactly Hydroponics is all about, it can be termed as growing plants with nutrient and water and without soil. And if this interests you why not take your B.Sc degree into the Hydroponics field?

Hydroponics in India is addressed for growing ornamental plants but is also substituted for an alternative organic farming technique in almost every. It is an extremely common sight to see squashes, pumpkins, tomatoes, beans and the like growing from window boxes and trailing from floor to floor while held in place meshed nets or old orange bags or nylon hose.

Thus Vertical farming turning on to bio-climatic sky scrapers and vertical walls, can magnify the beauty of the tall buildings making it look magnificient. Adding to this ,it would tend in keeping the environment and the interiors cool and complacent. Moreover, if compared to conventional gardening techniques it would save a nominal amount of water and energy.

Today, hydroponics is an established branch of agronomy. Progress has been rapid, and results obtained in various countries have proved it to be thoroughly practical. It is supposed to have very definite advantages over conventional methods of horticulture and is being seen as the future of commercial agriculture. For a person to start with Hydroponics as their career option, a basic knowledge of agricultural chemistry and Plant physiology is a must. One of the most important technique in the hydroponics field is the Nutrient Filter Technique wherein a very shallow stream of water containing all the dissolved nutrients required for plant grow this recirculated past the bare roots of the plants in a watertight gully commonly known as Channels. The chemicals desired are inexpensive, feasible and handy as the sun does most of the work.

For hydroponics as a career, you should have the following characteristics:

• Love for your greens
• Interest in architecture
• Environmental friendly
• Zeal to explore
• Garden lover

Developing these skills will help you succeed in this career:

• Research
• Biology
• Laboratory work

Recommended subjects:

• Mathematics(From the aqueous solutions to the air pressure, from gravity to water aeration, all needs to have a calculative value and be mathematically precise to be useful)
• Physical science(To enhance ones skills in the hydroponic field for growing plants in water)
• Agricultural Technology(For regulating the aerial and root environment)
• Architecture(For a vertically sustainable garden is synch with the most advanced technology for plant growth)
• Computers science(For a perpetual look-over the growth of plants and monitoring other chemical actions and reactions)

Best recommended Training Institutes/providers:

• Elensburg college of Agriculture (Western Cape)
• Glen college of Agriculture(Free state)
• Tsolo college of Agriculture(Eastern Cape)
• Owen Sitole college of Agriculture(Kwazulu Natal)

A lot is happening in this area, so the future only seems optimistic and for intelligent minds who happen to see their future into advanced agronomy and are planning to opt Hydroponics as a career, then this would surely leave you in awe with positive outcomes and would thus prove to be a long term investment for all.

Source: Madiha Jawed
Date: 19th August, 2011