Agricultural engineering

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agricultural Engineer
US Navy 060427-N-1825C-001 Combat Systems Sciences and Technology Program Naval Postgraduate student Ensign Tom Dunbar, works with an autonomous robot originally designed to maneuver in agricultural settings.jpg
An Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer fixing his agricultural robot
Occupation
NamesAgricultural and Biosystems Engineer
Occupation type
Profession
Activity sectors
Engineering, Agriculture
Description
CompetenciesEngineering, Agriculture
Fields of
employment
Engineering, Agribusiness, Farm
Related jobs
Agriculturist, Farmer, Farm worker, Engineer

Agricultural Engineering (also known as Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering) is the field of study and application of engineering science and designs principles for agriculture purposes, combining the various disciplines of mechanical, civil, electrical, food science, environmental, software, and chemical engineering to improve the efficiency of farms and agribusiness enterprises[1] as well as to ensure sustainability of natural and renewable resources.[2]

An agricultural engineer is an engineer with an agriculture background. Agricultural engineers make the engineering designs and plans in an agricultural project, usually in partnership with an agriculturist who is more proficient in farming and agricultural science.

History[]

The first use of agricultural engineering was the introduction of irrigation in large scale agriculture in the Nile and the Euphrates rivers before 2000 B.C. Large irrigation structures were also present in Baluchistan and India before Christian era. In South America irrigation was practiced in Peru by the Incas and in North America by the Aztecs.

Settlers practiced irrigation in the vicinity of San Antonio in 1715, the Mormons practiced irrigation in Salt Lake Valley in 1847.[3]

With the rise of tractors and machines in the industrial revolution, a new age in Agricultural Engineering began. Over the course of the industrial revolution, mechanical harvesters and planters would replace field hands in most of the food and cash crop industries. In the 20th century, with the rise in reliable engines in airplanes, cropdusters were implemented to disperse pesticides. The introduction of these engineering concepts into the field of agriculture allowed for an enormous boost in the productivity of crops, dubbed a "second agricultural revolution".

In the late 20th century, Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs) were created, giving another large boost to crop yields and resistance to pests.[4]

Sub-disciplines[]

Agricultural engineering has many sub-disciplines, the most common of which are listed below.

Agricultural Surveying

Main article: Surveying

Drainage

Main article: Drainage

Irrigation

Main article: Irrigation

Farm Machinery

Main article: Agricultural machinery

Farm Motors

Farm Sanitation

Fertilizers

Main article: Fertilizer

Pesticides

Main article: Pesticide

Knot tying

Main article: Knot

Role of Agricultural Engineers[]

Not to be confused with Agriculturist, Farmer, Farmworker, or Geodetic Engineering.

Agricultural engineers may perform tasks such as planning, supervising and managing the building of dairy effluent schemes, irrigation, drainage, flood water control systems, performing environmental impact assessments, agricultural product processing and interpret research results and implement relevant practices. A large percentage of agricultural engineers work in academia or for government agencies. Some are consultants, employed by private engineering firms, while others work in industry, for manufacturers of agricultural machinery, equipment, processing technology, and structures for housing livestock and storing crops. Agricultural engineers work in production, sales, management, research and development, or applied science.

Armenia[]

In 2006 Armenia’s agricultural sector accounted for about 20 percent of the GDP’s. After a while the agriculture sector developed and by 2010 in Armenia the agriculture sector comprised about 25 percent of Armenia’s GDP.[5] When looking at the shares of agriculture sector as a GDP’s component and comparing it with Armenia’s neighboring countries, it is obvious that the highest percentage is registered in Armenia. With the 2017 data, the contribution of agriculture to the GDP for the neighboring countries like Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran were 6.88, 5.63, 6.08 and 9.05 respectively.[6]

Philippines[]

In the Philippines, the professional designation is Registered Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer. They are licensed and accredited after successfully passing the Agriculturist and Biosystems Engineering Licensure Examination. A prospective Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer is required to have a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

The practice of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering also includes the following:

  • Consultation, valuation, investigation and management services on agricultural and biosystems engineering;
  • Management or supervision and the preparation of engineering designs, plans, specifications, project studies and estimates for agricultural and biosystems , aquaculture and fishery, and forest product machinery, agricultural and biosystems buildings and structures, farm electrification and energy systems, agricultural and biosystems processing equipment, irrigation and soils conservation systems and facilities, agricultural and biosystems waste utilization systems and facilities;
  • Conducting research and development, training and extension work, and consultancy services on agricultural and biosystems engineering facilities/services, system and technologies;
  • Testing, evaluation and inspection of agricultural and biosystems, fishery and forest product machinery and other related agricultural and biosystems engineering facilities and equipment.
  • Management, manufacturing and/or marketing of agricultural and biosystems machinery and other related agricultural and biosystems engineering facilities and equipment;
  • Teaching, agricultural and biosystems engineering subjects in institution of learning in the Philippines;
  • Employment with the government provided such item or position requires the knowledge and expertise of an agricultural and biosystems engineer.

United Kingdom[]

In the United Kingdom the term Agricultural Engineer is often also used to describe a person that repairs or modifies agricultural equipment.

United States[]

The American Society of Agricultural Engineers, now known as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), was founded in 1907.[7] It is a leading organization in the Agricultural Engineering field. The ASABE provides safety and regulatory standards for the agricultural industry. These standards and regulations are developed on an international scale and include topics on fertilizers, soil conditions, fisheries, biofuels, biogas, feed machinery, tractors, and machinery.[1]

See also[]

Agricultural machine as play structure

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "ASABE". www.asabe.org. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  2. ^ "Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | Professional Regulation Commission". www.prc.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  3. ^ Davidson J.B. 1913. Agricultural engineering, Webb Publishing
  4. ^ "ASABE 100 years of innovation" (PDF). ASABE.
  5. ^ "Kocharian Orders Tax Exemption For Armenian Farmers", Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), August 8, 2006.
  6. ^ https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/Share_of_agriculture/
  7. ^ "ASABE website". Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.

Further reading[]

  • Brown, R.H. (ed). (1988). CRC handbook of engineering in agriculture. Boca Raton, FL.: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-3860-3.
  • Field, H. L., Solie, J. B., & Roth, L. O. (2007). Introduction to agricultural engineering technology: a problem solving approach. New York: Springer. ISBN 0-387-36913-9.
  • Stewart, Robert E. (1979). Seven decades that changed America: a history of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1907-1977. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE. OCLC 5947727.
  • DeForest, S. S. (2007). The vision that cut drugery from farming forever. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE. ISBN 1-892769-61-1.
Retrieved from ""