Is it worth investing further in AFNR programs?: simulations from a supply-and-demand model

The recent proliferation of state and local universities and colleges compounded with the high unemployment rate among graduates of fields related to agriculture, fisheries, and natural resources (AFNR) questions the validity of government making it a standing policy to make AFNR tertiary education more attractive.This paper attempts to address this issue by way of a supply-and-demand model of AFNR services. Results of the simulations indicate that there are bleak prospects for AFNR graduates in paid employment.The source of the problem appears to be weak demand such that further expansion in AFNR programs and enrolment as well as proposals to further subsidize these programs should be reconsidered.