Government meeting

The Progress and Outcomes of the 2023 Implementation of the State Programme for the Development of Agriculture and the Regulation of Markets for Agricultural Products, Raw Materials, and Food

Mikhail Mishustin’s Opening Remarks

Oksana Lut’s report on the progress and outcomes of the 2023 implementation of the State Programme for the Development of Agriculture and the Regulation of Markets for Agricultural Products, Raw Materials, and Food

Excerpts from the transcript:

Mikhail Mishustin:

Good afternoon, colleagues,

Today on our agenda is the national report on the implementation of the state programme for agricultural development over the past year.

As required by law, the Government will submit this report to the State Duma. Together with the legislators, they will determine the most effective tools for achieving the national goals set by the President.

We discussed this in detail during the recent strategic session. Our priorities include increasing production output in the agro-industrial complex by 25 percent by 2030, boosting exports by 50 percent, and raising investment in fixed assets by 60 percent. Additionally, ensuring the technological independence of the industry remains a key goal. All these targets are achievable.

As the President noted, despite external challenges, the market for products from domestic agricultural enterprises is expanding not only in quantity but also due to the high quality of our food products.

Progress and Outcomes

This is evident in the concrete performance results for 2023. The level of food security continues to systematically increase. We have sufficient supplies of grain, meat, sugar, fish, and vegetable oil for both domestic needs and exports to our international partners.

The yields of vegetables, potatoes, and fruits have noticeably increased, with an approximate 11 percent growth. Our logistics capabilities have also expanded, now able to simultaneously store hundreds of thousands of tonnes of these agricultural products.

We have seen positive developments in other areas as well. Over the past year, we have put into operation 49 new or reconstructed cattle breeding facilities and over 170 dairy farms and complexes. Importantly, the processing of raw milk has also increased, a topic frequently discussed with State Duma deputies.

Additionally, we continue to support farmers with agricultural equipment. Nearly 17,000 tractors and combine harvesters have been provided through leasing or preferential lending programmes.

The agricultural insurance system is also developing: in 2023, it was extended to 69 regions. It makes it possible for farmers to cut their costs, including those due to emergencies.

Human resources are being actively trained for the industry: over 270 educational programmes have been developed as part of vocational training. Of course, we need advanced specialists who are good at modern technologies.

Agricultural tourism projects are becoming increasingly popular. Grants as a support instrument have been in effect for only three years, but over the past two years, the facilities created by their receivers have been visited by almost 500,000 people.

Last year, over 440 billion roubles were allocated to implement the state programme.

Infrastructure Facilities and Technological Sovereignty Projects

Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut will explain this in more detail today.

Another important measure.

We continue to help regions to make living conditions there more comfortable, provide more high-quality medical assistance, modern education, a chance to do sports and visit cultural events. This task is among the Government’s priorities. The President has highlighted it.

Today we will discuss the allocation of over 3.7 billion roubles to create about 20 infrastructure facilities in several Russian regions. The bulk will go towards the construction of medical organisations, such as a multidisciplinary medical centre and hospitals, including children’s hospitals. Thanks to this financial support, the construction of several of them will be completed this year.

I would like to ask the Construction Ministry and the Health Ministry to strictly monitor the expenses, work processes, and deadlines in this area. These are organizations that save lives and health, including those of our children.

Now I will speak briefly about the support for technological sovereignty projects.

We had a detailed discussion of the necessary mechanisms at strategic sessions. We are actively working to develop an entire range of national projects in the fields of healthcare, new materials, and energy, which will give us the opportunity to enhance the country’s technological independence for many years to come.

In order to do this, we must first of all increase the volume and expand the list of chemical products manufactured in Russia. The sector is developing actively. Last year, the production of small- and medium-tonnage chemistry exceeded the level of 2020 by more than a quarter, and this year we will maintain this trend.

At the President’s instruction, we will allocate over 0.5 billion roubles to the country’s leading scientific organizations that will establish the production of chemical products in small volumes. Funds will be allocated through grants to develop technological regulations and design documentation.

These small-scale production facilities will cover the needs of many Russian enterprises in various sectors, starting from healthcare to automotive industry. As a result, the positive economic effect will be twice the investment.

Overall, almost 10 billion roubles have been allocated for these purposes over the past three years, which will help expand the instrument base of educational and scientific institutes and laboratories, as well as train new generations of engineers and researchers and ensure reliable supplies of Russian raw materials.

Let us get down to the discussion.

I would like to invite Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut to speak on the first issue. Please, you have the floor.

More to be posted soon…

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists, and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets, and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.
   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
   • Target 2.a: Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development, and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries.
   • Target 2.b: Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round.

   The article discusses the progress and outcomes of the State Programme for the Development of Agriculture and the Regulation of Markets for Agricultural Products, Raw Materials, and Food. This program aims to increase production output in the agro-industrial complex by 25 percent by 2030 and boost exports by 50 percent. These targets align with SDG 2’s goal of achieving zero hunger by improving agricultural productivity and ensuring sustainable food production systems. The article also mentions the need for investment in rural infrastructure and agricultural research, which corresponds to SDG 2’s targets 2.a and 2.b.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries.
   • Target 9.3: Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.
   • Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending.

   The article mentions the need to increase the volume and expand the list of chemical products manufactured in Russia. This aligns with SDG 9’s target 9.4 of upgrading infrastructure and retrofitting industries to make them sustainable with clean technologies. The article also highlights the allocation of funds for the production of chemical products in small volumes, which corresponds to SDG 9’s target 9.5 of enhancing scientific research and technological capabilities in industrial sectors.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
   • Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible, green, and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.
   • Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning.

   The article briefly mentions the allocation of funds to create infrastructure facilities in several Russian regions, including medical organizations. This aligns with SDG 11’s target 11.3 of enhancing sustainable urbanization and human settlement planning. The article also emphasizes the importance of making living conditions in regions more comfortable, which corresponds to SDG 11’s target 11.a of supporting positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: government.ru