IRCs now submit comprehensive Skills Forecasts to the AISC every 3 years, with abridged annual updates submitted in the intervening 2 years.
Agriculture
Overview
This page provides high-level information and data on the Agricultural industry which comprises the following industry sectors: Production Horticulture, Broadacre Farming, Livestock Farming, Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming, Agriculture Support Services and Agricultural Product Wholesaling.
Please visit the following pages for data specific to the following Agricultural sectors:
Nationally recognised training for the Agriculture industry is delivered under the AHC – Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.
Visit the following pages for more information on Amenity Horticulture and Land Management, Animal Care and Management, Food Production, Transport, Retail, and Hospitality industries.
Information sourced from the Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast and the Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management IRC’s 2020 Skills Forecast.
All data sources are available at the end of the page.
IRC and skills forecasts
IRC and skills forecasts
Industry cluster snapshot
Industry cluster snapshot
Please note: any employment projections outlined below were calculated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics prior to COVID-19.
Employment and training snapshot
The long-term employment trend shows employment in the Agriculture industry declined by around a quarter between 2000 and 2019, before a rise in 2020 from around 283,3000 in 2019 to about 320,600 in 2020. Agriculture and Fishing Support Services has fluctuated between 15,000 and 29,000 since 2000, with employment of around 21,600 in 2020. However, employment is expected to decline for the Agriculture industry to around 281,600 but increase for the Agriculture and Fishing Support Services industry to almost 26,000.
Program enrolments in Agriculture-related qualifications decreased over the period 2015–19, most sharply between2017 and 2018. In 2017 there were about 45,240 enrolments but this decreased to around 35,420 in 2018. There were just over 35,220 program enrolments in 2019 Similarly, program completions fell between 2017 and 2018 after being fairly stable between 2015 and 2017 but rose slightly in 2019 to around 9890.
Industry insights on skills needs
According to the Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast, the top generic skills for Agriculture are:
- Learning agility/ information literacy/ intellectual autonomy and self-management (adaptability)
- Managerial/leadership
- Financial
- Technology
- Science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) skills.
Job vacancy demand data for this industry indicates that the top generic skill in demand by employers is communication skills followed by physical demand. The top occupation in demand was Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers.
The Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management IRC’s 2020 Skills Forecast outlines a number of factors shaping the Agriculture and Horticulture industries including:
- Climate change, which is having an impact on agriculture in a number of ways including rising temperatures affecting livestock and crops, weather patterns affecting aquatic and terrestrial systems such as pollinating insects, and worsening storm intensity damaging crops and infrastructure
- Drought, which has not only led to a downturn in the number of jobs, is underscoring the need for agricultural skills and knowledge as farmers priortise efficiency and productivity irrespective of conditions
- Water security, driven by higher temperatures and more severe drought spells, has led to declining water availability but increasing demand, and intensifying water buying and trading. It is also prompting land use strategies that harness and hold moisture in soil profiles and sustainable farming practices
- Recruitment challenges, which vary across the Agricultural and Horticultural industries, and are impacted by COVID-19 restrictions closing Australian borders, tightened skilled visa requirements, applicants lacking the required capabilities and experience, and access to local workers who are crucial to sustaining agricultural industries
- Education and training needs in regional, rural and remote communities as these services are vital to educating, training and skilling local workers who are crucial to sustaining agricultural industries
- Digital capabilities of the agricultural workforce, in particular challenges in encouraging and developing farmers’ networks and capabilities in using potential digital solutions.
Specific opportunities and challenges uniquely affecting the Agricultural and Horticultural industries are outlined on the Agribusiness, Agricultural Operations and Services or Production Horticulture sector pages
The Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management IRC’s 2020 Skills Forecast was researched and written during 2019 and early 2020. As such it does not include detailed responses to the COVID-19 situation. See the following section for links to industry and government responses to COVID-19.
The Australian agricultural sector plays a crucial role in the national economy. The potential for it grow into a $100 billion industry over the next decade is examined in The future of Australia’s agricultural workforce. Achieving this goal will depend on the sector’s ability to respond to unique industry-specific conditions and workforce requirements, as well as working collaboratively on shared challenges. These include growing sustainably, understanding the needs of future customers, unlocking the value of future technologies across the entire supply chain and attracting people and capital.
In response to changes in agricultural production and the workforce, the Australian Government committed to developing a National Agricultural Workforce Strategy in the 2019-20 Budget. The strategy will consider the challenges facing the industry and recommend potential actions to address the future workforce needs of the agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries, and the closely allied service and supply chain industry sectors. The actions will target school education, vocational education and training and higher education. The aim is to attract, retain and upskill domestic workforce, as well as identify where access to a migrant workforce will be necessary to meet industry needs.
The Agriculture Workforce Digital Capability Framework project investigated the digital capabilities required by agricultural workers in order to address any gaps in the ability to meet future demand. The project also provided a framework to develop education pathways for upskilling the agricultural workforce to better adopt technology. The Framework comprises several linked documents for use across the agricultural sector, including a self-assessment questionnaire and a training and curricula handbook for education and training providers.
Links and resources
Links and resources
Below is a list of industry-relevant research, organisations and associations. Hyperlinks have been included where available.
Relevant research
2018 Victorian Employers Skills Survey – Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (factsheet) – Victorian Department of Education and Training
Accelerating Precision Agriculture to Decision Agriculture: Enabling Digital Agriculture in Australia – Various authors, Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Australia
Agribusiness workforce insights – South Australian Training and Skills Commission
Agriculture Workforce Plan – Victorian State Government
Analysis of Australian food security and the COVID-19 pandemic – ABARES
COVID-19 and the Horticultural Sector: Addressing the pending labour supply shortfall – Australian National University
Demand for farm workers: ABARES farm survey results 2018 - ABARES
Design and delivery of a Masterclass in Horticulture Business – International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, Volume 72, Number 4, 2019
Employment for seasonal workers in Queensland during the COVID-19 pandemic – Queensland Government
Empowering Women in Agriculture: Australia and Beyond – Tess Marslen, Future Directions International
Growing into the Future: Strategy 2019-2023 – Hort Innovation
Horizon Scanning: Opportunities for New Technologies and Industries – Agrifutures
Food and Agribusiness: A Roadmap for Unlocking Value-Added Growth Opportunities for Australia – CSIRO Futures
Future Job Openings for New Entrants by Industry and Occupation – Shah C 2018
Impacts of COVID-19 on Australian agriculture, forestry and fisheries trade - ABARES
Industry Outlook: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing – Australian Government, Department of Employment
Industry updates for primary producers on COVID-19 – Primary Industries and Regions SA
National Agriculture Workforce Development Plan – National Farmers’ Federation
Queensland Horticulture Labour Demand: Results from GrowCom Labour Demand Survey – Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Report on South Australia's Industry Priority Qualifications – South Australian Training and Skills Commission
Snapshot of Australian agriculture 2020 – ABARES
Tasmania’s sustainable agri-food plan 2019-23 – Agrigrowth Tasmania
Transitioning Regional Economies – Productivity Commission
Industry associations and advisory bodies
Agricultural Supply Wholesaling
Apple and Pear Australia Limited
Australasian Alpaca Breeders Association
Australia Wool Testing Authority
Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders
Australian Banana Growers' Council
Australian Blueberry Growers' Association
Australian Cane Farmers Association
Australian Chicken Growers' Council
Australian Cotton Ginners Association
Australian Cotton Shippers Association
Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme
Australian Dairy Industry Council
Australian Egg Corporation Limited
Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association
Australian Fodder Industry Association
Australian Honey Bee Industry Council Inc.
Australian Institute of Horticulture
Australian Livestock & Property Agents Association
Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters' Association
Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council
Australian Lot Feeders' Association
Australian Lychee Growers Association
Australian Macadamia Society Ltd
Australian Mango Industry Association
Australian Melon Association Inc.
Australian Mungbean Association
Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association Ltd
Australian Nut Industry Council
Australian Oilseeds Federation
Australian Organics Recycling Association
Australian Ostrich Association
Australian Pig Breeders Association
Australian Pineapple Association
Australian Queen Bee Breeders’ Association
Australian Society of Horticultural Science
Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology
Australian Sunflower Association
Australian Sweetpotato Growers Inc.
Australian Table Grape Association
AWTA Limited (Australian Wool Testing Authority)
Cane Harvesters
Canola Association of Australia
Corporate Agriculture Australia
Cotton Research and Development Corporation
Crocodile Farmers Association of the Northern Territory
Dairy Goat Society of Australia
Deer Industry Association of Australia
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Flower Export Council of Australia
Goat Industry Council of Australia
Grain and Feed Trade Association
Grains Research and Development Corporation
Honey Packers & Marketers Association of Australia Inc
Horticulture Innovation Australia
Institute of Australian Consulting Arboriculturists
Institute of Australian Geographers
Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA)
Local Government Tree Resources Association
Maize Association of Australia
National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme
National Herd Improvement Association of Australia Incorporated
Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association
Organic Federation of Australia
Pistachio Growers Association Inc
Potato Processing Association of Australia
Raspberries and Blackberries Australia
Rice Growers’ Association of Australia
Shearing Contractors’ Association of Australia
South Australian Wine Industry Association
Sustainable Gardening Australia
The Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
The Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network
The Wine Grape Council of SA (WGCSA)
Tropical Exotic Fruit Australia
Utility Arborist Association Australia
Employee associations
Data sources and notes
Data sources and notes
Department of Employment 2020, Employment Projections, available from the Labour Market Information Portal
- by ANZSIC 2 and 3 digit industry, employment projections to May 2024
- 01 Agriculture
- 052 Agriculture and Fishing Support Services.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2020, Employed persons by Industry group of main job (ANZSIC), Sex, State and Territory, November 1984 onwards, 6291.0.55.003 - EQ06, viewed 1 August 2020, https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6291.0.55.003May%202020?OpenDocument
- Employed total by ANZSIC 2 and 3 digit Industry, 2000 to 2019, May quarter
- 01 Agriculture
- 052 Agriculture and Fishing Support Services.
Training data has been extracted from the National VET Provider Collection, Total VET Students and Courses, 2019 Program Enrolments by AHC – Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.
Priority skills data has been extracted from Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast. Each IRC has prioritised and ranked the generic skills.
Job vacancy data have been extracted from Burning Glass Technologies 2019, Labour Insight Real-time Labour Market Information Tool, Burning Glass Technologies, Boston, viewed July 2019, https://www.burning-glass.com.
Data shown represent most requested generic skills and occupations according to internet job postings in Australia between July 2016 and June 2019 filtered by ANZSIC and ANZSCO classification levels listed below.
- Generic skills / Occupations
- 01 Agriculture
Updated: 05 Nov 2020