Working in sustainable agriculture and food production

What is working in sustainable agriculture abroad like?

• Working in sustainable agriculture means participating on organic farms, permaculture projects, agroforestry initiatives, or farms transitioning from conventional to ecological.
• This work focuses on soil health, diversity, fewer chemicals, and greater collaboration with nature.
• You can volunteer through exchange programs, complete an internship as a student or work temporarily or seasonally as a paid employee.
• Duties: Your duties depend on the season, the land, and the farm, but could include:
  • Planting, sowing, weeding, and harvesting.
  • Composting, mulching, and soil improvement.
  • Animal care (small-scale, often using natural methods).
  • Working within permaculture or agroforestry systems.
  • Assisting with cheesemaking, jammaking, or processing crops.
  • Help in the kitchen, housekeeping, or hosting guests (on farms with accommodations).
  • In short: hands-on and learning by doing. You'll often work alongside local farming families, communities, or international volunteers—with the farm's daily rhythm as a guide.

What is working in organic farms abroad like?

• Organic farms worldwide hire volunteers who want to contribute to agriculture without chemicals and heavy machinery.
• Farms transitioning from conventional to organic can often use extra hands.
• There are also communes and communities focused on sustainability.
• Some are open and welcoming, others might have with somewhat alternative, radical, or esoteric ideas, so always investigate carefully beforehand whether the atmosphere is a good fit for you.
• Please note: life on a farm can be more primitive than you are used to (think compost toilets, simple rooms, vegetarian cuisine, early rising).

What are the reasons for working in sustainable agriculture abroad?

• To boost your sense of engagement: sometimes you'll work intensively on a farm for extended periods with the same people, often sharing a room with them. You have to love that, but you'll also make lifelong friends.
• To make the world around you more sustainable: you'll directly contribute to agriculture that's better for the soil, animals, and ecosystems. This allows you to effectively combine work and interests.
• To become more result-oriented: your work has visible outcomes that teach you practical goal-setting.
• To gain new experiences: during your stay on a farm and when you go to work, you'll experience much more than if you were to travel alone.
• To increase your self-awareness: further away from your familiar surroundings, you'll discover more quickly what you're actually capable of and what you truly want. working outdoors in a new rhythm helps you learn how you function outside your comfort zone.
• To test your environmental awareness: living and working in rural areas allows you to experience a foreign culture in a completely different and more authentic way than, for example, working in tourism.

What skills and motivations do you need to work in sustainable agriculture abroad?

• Professionalism: You often have to work hard and diligently, which is why the average slacker usually doesn't last long on a farm.
• Flexibility: Weather conditions, animal behavior, and plant growth don't always go according to plan, so your flexibility will often be called upon.
• Collaboration: Learning to work with a group of seasonal workers or with the farm family will always be necessary.
• Creative and solution-oriented thinking: Things get lost or broken, so being creative is very useful!
• Networking skills: This is more about finding a job. It's not always easy, so chatting at markets and hostels helps enormously.

What are the best countries and locations to work in sustainable agriculture abroad?

• Australia: working holiday, agricultural work, fruit picking
• Canada: working holiday, agricultural work
• Chile: fruit picking, livestock farming
• France: agricultural work, fruit picking, grape picking
• Italy: agricultural work, fruit picking
• Ecuador: tropical agriculture, coffee, cocoa, and permaculture
• New Zealand: working holiday, fruit picking, agricultural work
• Spain: olive picking, viticulture
• South Africa: ecolodges, ranches

What are the risks of working in sustainable agriculture abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

• What are the risks of working in sustainable agriculture?
• The risk of accidents on farms is higher than with many other types of work:
  • Wounds caused by knives, pruning shears, machetes, tools, equipment, and machinery.
  • Sprains from uneven ground.
  • Sunburn, dehydration, and heat exhaustion.
  • Back problems from heavy or repeated lifting.
  • Allergic reactions to bees, plants, and pollen.
  • Bites from dogs, goats, and sheep.
  • Trampling wounds from horses or cows.
  • Working in extreme heat or cold.
  • Tropical areas: dengue, chikungunya, and malaria.
  • Unsafe, unstable buildings or barns.
• Local employers generally offer limited or no supplementary insurance.
• Good insurance is therefore crucial to cover all these risks.
• A number of specialized insurance policies offer options for (temporary) paid work abroad that carries higher risks, such as working on a farm.
• Are you insured while working in sustainable agriculture?
• There may be several reasons why you need separate insurance when working abroad. See the pages on: insuring international Insurances for working abroad, for internships abroad, for volunteering abroad, or for expats and emigrants.