How has COVID-19 affected Farming?
The unprecedented events of recent months have tested the businesses of thousands of people across the globe. For farmers, particularly the smaller players, potential disruptions in food security, transportation, finance and other factors have put some businesses at great risk. Pre-Covid, farmers were under pressure from rising costs, climate change and general operational issues – but the extra stress of uncertainty due to the virus have not helped.
“Pre-Covid, farmers were under pressure from rising costs, climate change and general operational issues – but the extra stress of uncertainty due to the virus have not helped.“
It was evident during recent months that the world will inevitably struggle without the hard work of farmers in every country. Consumer demand has been unwavering and at times, as we saw at the height of the first lockdown, bordering crazy, as the UK grappled with scenes of panic buying and empty shelves at the supermarkets. With so much pressure put upon the food production market as a whole, it was no wonder that those in agriculture were working at maximum capacity.
The resilience of farmers is something to be admired and they’ve come together to sustain global food security. Whilst there were inevitably initial teething problems sourcing additional workers, e.g., extra fruit pickers, machinery operators and other staff, it seems that the industry is bouncing back now stronger than ever. Farmers have implemented the latest safety equipment and hygiene principles in accordance with the strict guidelines, so that they can run farms safely, securely and highly efficiently.
As a result, they’re eager to grow their business, albeit under the ‘new normal’, and that’s great news for agricultural recruitment. April saw a record demand for agricultural jobs in this country, and a massive surge in job applications, but since then there’s massive new interest amongst UK job seekers. Whether the recent ‘Feed the Nation labour campaign or trending news in this area has fuelled this, it’s clear more young people are looking for careers in this market, and the good news is that employers are geared up to actively hire and welcome new talent.
At Zenopa, we’re really excited about the opportunities in this industry and conversations with new farming employers have signified that businesses are coming out of the pandemic stronger than before. Farms are working hard to safeguard their businesses against future risk and looking to new advancements to ensure they stay trading and successful.
If you’d like to find out more about opportunities in this sector, get in touch here: https://www.zenopa.com/contact/waheeda-jafferali
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
Waheeda Jafferali
Waheeda Jafferali