The research believes there is a lower level of popularity and interest in land-based careers compared to 20 years ago
Agriculture and horticulture is suffering from a lack of senior-level talent, especially in the 35 to 55 age bracket, a new report has found.
The research, commissioned by recruitment firm Cultura Connect, examined the hurdles faced in recruiting top-tier talent within the agriculture, horticulture, and forestry sectors.
The need for robust leadership within the land-based sector 'has never been more pressing', it said, but organisations were 'facing acute difficulties finding it'.
Issues surrounding recruiting senior leaders were explored as part of the research, with interviews uncovering difficulties at all levels.
However, this was particularly acute at the top end of the career ladder, the report explained.
Hugh Pocock, director of Cultura Connect, said with the challenges and pressures facing the industry, having strong leadership was more important than ever.
"However our research confirmed a real scarcity of seasoned talent – particularly in the 35 to 55 age bracket,” he said.
“We believe this is due to a lack of popularity and interest in land-based careers when those people were making career decisions some 20 years ago."
As well as passion for their sector, the report said industry leaders need commercial and technical expertise and a raft of hard and soft skills.
The need for leaders to have a deep understanding of the intricacies of the sector and what was required to improve sustainability was also a recurring theme.
Despite the challenges, Mr Pocock said that due to a growing and increasingly diverse student population at agri-colleges, the future looked bright.
“It really highlights the importance of proactive talent development within land-based industries,” he added.
“We believe this requires solid succession plans to develop internal talent as well as a strong employer brand and meticulous recruitment strategies that cast a wide net across the industry.
“With a small talent pool to fish from, finding and attracting the right people is a challenge which requires investment in time and other resources and a strong network.”