The Russian agro-industry and agriculture must become less dependent on the import of foreign seeds and breeding material. Moscow will invest more money in its own breeding, seed production, and livestock breeding of crops and animal species that are crucial for national food security.
After a meeting on scientific and technical support for the agro-industry, President Vladimir Putin instructed that concrete proposals be ready within a few months. The focus should not only be on the choice of future crops and animal species, but also on investing in the training of Russian farmers.
In a few months, training programs for scientific-pedagogical staff must be refined and farmer training organized, according to the Russian president.
The government will encourage farmers to apply the scientific and technical results of the new program in practice. To expand the sales markets for new Russian products, a public campaign will be launched, the Kremlin has decided. The dependence of the Russian agro-industrial complex on foreign seeds and breeding material must in any case be reduced.
Previously, Putin had already ordered the development of genetic technologies for plants. The Kurchatov Institute has been working for several years on a plan for the development of nature-like technologies.
According to the Russian institute, genetic technologies make it possible to develop new agricultural crops. Using genetic technologies, for example, wheat varieties can be made frost- or drought-resistant.