Building Careers in Agribusiness

Interview with four young professionals who have passion for agriculture.

The Brazilian Association of Rural Marketing and Agribusiness (ABMRA) points out that 21% of decisions on farms are made by producers between 26 and 35 years of age, currently. The participation of young people in agribusiness is a reality, and AgriBrasilis invited four promising professionals in the sector to portray their experiences.

 

 

Andrielle Andrade, graduated in Agronomic Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in 2017, and is Commercial Technical Representative of Bayer Agroceres Seeds. 25 years old.

 

 

 

Caroline Blumer, Agronomist by the University of São Paulo (ESALQ – USP) in 2011, today she is a Franchise Manager at Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co., Ltd. 33 years old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manoela Ribeiro is a Zootechnician by the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in 2019, and today she is a laboratory assistant at Eurotec Nutrition. 25 years old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mônica Müller is an Agricultural Engineer from the State University of Western Paraná (2012), she has a master’s degree in plant health and alternative control (2015), a PhD in plant protection from the Federal University of Paraná (2019), and today she is a researcher at the Mato Grosso Foundation. 30 years old.

 

 

 

 

AgriBrasilis – What you currently work with and how was your trajectory in agribusiness?

Andrielle Andrade – I graduated as an agronomist, and as a mandatory curricular internship, I had the opportunity to participate in the Agro Internship Program, then at the multinational Monsanto (today Bayer). During my internship, I was part of the Commercial Soybean team, especially focused on Intacta RR2 Pro technology. After completing this step, I received the company’s proposal to be part of the commercial Corn team. Currently, I work as an agronomist for Bayer in the Crop Science division.

Caroline Blumer – I did my professional internship at Monsanto do Brasil in 2011, where I had the privilege of getting to know agriculture in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, then I went to Mato Grosso. In the end, I was hired as Dekalb’s RTV for Mato Grosso do Sul. In 2015, I set out for new challenges in Goiás as Dow AgroSciences; seed RTV. In the merger with DuPont, I assumed a KAM position for Corteva in Goiânia. In 2018, I took over the franchise management position at Long Ping High Tech for the corn seed brand Morgan, where I have been ever since.

Manoela Ribeiro – During my graduation, I did an internship at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) for a year and a half. During this period, I had greater contact with bureaucratic issues involving the quality control of animal feed and additives companies. So I decided to do an internship in a feed factory. I am currently part of the quality control team at Eurotec Nutrition. In addition to checking and releasing the company’s raw materials and finished products, I also perform peroxide and acidity analysis on flours, oils and feed treated with our additives.

Mônica Müller – During my graduation in agronomy, I worked in several areas, and my last scientific initiation projects were in the area of phytopathology, and an emphasis on studies with nematodes. I decided to specialize more and follow the master’s degree with nematology. Finishing the master’s degree, I left for an experience abroad. In graduate school I had a very strong focus on soybean diseases. The much-feared Asian soybean rust was a lever that led me to interactions with important names in the scientific and academic world.

I went to Germany to be part of my research at a renowned multinational, and I was invited for a postdoctoral degree at the University of Viçosa, but I thought it was time to be in the job market. That was when I got a researcher position that I wanted so much.

 

AgriBrasilis – What is the importance of your work for your company and the agricultural community?

Andrielle Andrade – In my role today, I am responsible for serving 185,000 hectares for the second crop of corn, in Mato Grosso do Sul. Sementes Agroceres is the pioneer brand in the launch of hybrids in the country, launching one of the main vectors of the technification of culture. I see the history of the evolution of corn culture in the country, often relating to the history of the brand.

Caroline Blumer – The management position is very important, but we always work together with the other areas of the company, so we have maximum effectiveness in our actions, such as: being responsible for the business franchises in each region of operation, correct positioning of the hybrids with the product development, among others.

Manoela Ribeiro – Animal recycling is an extremely important stage for Brazilian agribusiness, given that Brazil is a major producer of meat and, consequently, waste. These residues generated are processed and transformed into flours and oils, having a high nutritional value. However, it is normal for these ingredients to have an auto-oxidation process, which can be delayed through the use of additives during the processing of raw materials. Failure to use antioxidants can cause losses in the nutritional value and organoleptic changes of an ingredient with great potential in animal nutrition and this will reflect on the performance of animals in the field.

Ensuring the quality and functionality of the additives that will be used in the processing of ingredients for animal feed is very important for the agricultural community as this will directly reflect on the work of the field and the final product of the chain.

Mônica Müller – I understand that part of my job is to make the complex and theoretical, become simple and practical. My work is focused on plant diseases, mainly soybeans, corn and cotton. I study the best management of diseases that affect these cultures, how to use tools to reduce the occurrence of diseases, at what time, aiming at less financial impact and the balance of the production system.

 

AgriBrasilis – What challenges do you face on a daily basis and what difficulties to consolidate a successful professional career?

Andrielle Andrade – We will face difficulties on a daily basis, whether they have a large or small impact on our final result. I believe that good professionals must be prepared to deal with times of adversity and conduct an environment that allows them to develop solutions, demonstrating resilience and proactivity. With technologies, changing media and even changing the profile of the consumer, we must create a culture of “thinking outside the box”.

Caroline Blumer – I don’t believe in difficulties to consolidate a career in agribusiness, I believe in focus and thus outline a great strategy for where we want to go. It requires a lot of motivation, hard and correct work, willpower, disposition, resilience and, above all, the desire to win and conquer your space.

Manoela Ribeiro – Having knowledge of the importance of the company’s finished products for agribusiness, having the responsibility to state whether a raw material or finished product is fit to be used and go to the field is a challenge faced by the team on a daily basis. As for professional success, I believe that the profile of each person is very important to leverage and consolidate the career. And in this brief period in the job market, proactivity, teamwork, being curious about new technologies in the area and being willing to face new challenges has helped me to build my career.

Mônica Müller – The journey to a professional career is neither short nor fast, it is constant. You need to be persistent and resilient, have clear goals, focus and mainly understand what your role is in society, and what you want to add, whether from an internship to a position of greater influence.

 

AgriBrasilis – What professional situation has been most critical in your career?

Andrielle Andrade – The first change of location to assume the position of technical sales representative. Changing regions and taking responsibility for the role was to leave the comfort zone. The fear of taking risks can prevent you from making mistakes, however, it also blocks you from the big hit. In my view, it is practically impossible to evolve and acquire experiences or knowledge without going through new challenges.

Caroline Blumer – I always saw myself as a professional, I never saw myself depending on genders but on skills and where I envisioned being, regardless of whether I was a man or a woman. I am very proud of the women in the agribusiness, increasingly assuming positions and positions of prominence in companies and all this with great competence and willingness!

Manoela Ribeiro – The situation in which I faced a great professional challenge was on my first visit to a client, at that time I was without all the team that I work with on a daily basis and the entire laboratory structure in which I perform the analyzes. At this point, I had to reinvent myself to carry out the analysis and work with field colleagues who had not yet had contact.

Mônica Müller – I believe that the most critical phases are those of uncertainty, which generates insecurity.

 

AgriBrasilis – What are the opportunities for young people in agribusiness, in your point of view?

Andrielle Andrade – Agribusiness is a world of different opportunities … can you remember our sector 20 years ago? Very low level of machine technology to production processes. Now, try to imagine how we will produce food in 20 years. Autonomous machines, traceability, new sources of energy, and many other things that may not even exist today. And more and more I have the perception of a closer connection between the generations, and a feeling of sharing that unites the learnings of the experience with the new.

Once again, I bring the importance of the initiative and the role of the professional in being attentive to changes and market demands, anticipating the demands and thus standing out. Without creating labels for generations, but I believe that the market has never been so open in the history of the agribusiness sector to receive young people.

Caroline Blumer – Agribusiness does not stop! I am immensely proud to be part of this sector that only grows in Brazil. For the young people in the agribusiness, what I can tell you is to always move on, in college to seek internships to become professional, on vacation to go after what attracts you the most and also do internships. The agro is always looking for new talents that have the face of each company and that can make a difference.

Manoela Ribeiro – Brazilian agribusiness is a huge sector. Research for development, improvement of different segments of agribusiness, and the use and development of technologies to facilitate the management and traceability of the products generated are realities in agribusiness and present diverse opportunities for young Brazilians. In zootechnics, opportunities are distributed in the area of nutrition, genetic improvement, animal welfare. But agribusiness is a multidisciplinary sector, it covers other areas of
knowledge.

Mônica Müller – Agribusiness offers a huge range of possibilities! Agribusiness is dynamic,  it has ceased to be traditional to become technified, open to innovation. Before the young man left the field because he had few opportunities to be a protagonist. The field required experience and brute strength, almost all the work was manual. Today we have more and more independent machines, increasingly robotic processes and those who have information are increasingly needed to bring solutions, strategies and make decisions. I see that young people are very dynamic and know how to use the current technologies offered by the market, this gives them important competitive tools.