NKPD code: 3142
Agricultural technicians perform tests and experiments and provide scientific and technical assistance to agronomists, farmers and farm managers. Agricultural technicians perform the following main tasks: • preparing materials and equipment for experiments, tests and analyses; • collecting and preparing specimens and samples such as soils, tissues, organs or parts of plants or animals for experiments, tests and analyses; • assisting in carrying out experiments, tests and analyses using various methods and techniques such as microscopy, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy; • identifying pathogenic micro-organisms, insects, parasites, fungi and weeds harmful to plants and animals and assisting in developing control methods; • analysing agricultural produce to establish and maintain quality standards; • conducting or supervising operational agricultural development programmes, such as programmes for establishing fish ponds, greenhouses and livestock farms; • analysing seed samples to assess their quality, purity and germination; • collecting data and preparing estimates of quantities and costs of materials and labour required for projects; • arranging the maintenance and repair of research equipment. Examples of occupations in this unit group: – Technician, agriculture – Technician, crop research – Technician, soil science Excludes: – Veterinary inseminator – 3240 – Veterinary technician – 3240