According to the latest data from the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 30-50% of all diseases of Russian citizens are associated with low-quality products, including cardiovascular, oncological and others. And the importance of the transition of agriculture to organic production becomes completely obvious. In agriculture in Russia, all the prerequisites for such a transition are available. There is wide potential in the export sector of the economy. Organic farming today has become a global trend; it has been successfully operating in more than 160 countries. It is time for the Russian manufacturer to enter this market with their products.
How did we get involved in the process
What is organic agriculture, in Russia learned in the 90s of the last century. Mass export of mushrooms and nuts to European countries required certification of agricultural lands according to European standards in specialized organizations such as Demeter, IMO.
Currently, most of the country's agricultural products are almost organic products by their properties. But, according to statistics, only 8 farms have certificates of the corresponding sample for their land, which is 3192 hectares and 0.001% of the total agricultural land.
The de facto market for organic products in Russia is huge, and de jure is negligible.
And this is important, since the products will receive an “organic” certificate when confirming the status of each stage of production, and not just the final product. These are international requirements and must be observed when exporting products.
The term “environmental products” in Russian legislative documents appears in 2008, in a decree of the chief state sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation Gennady Onishchenko on sanitary and epidemiological standards for organic products. In fact, it was a Russian translation of European Organic standards.
What does it mean
Biological or ecological - in a word, organic agriculture - this is a form of management, the use of artificial (synthetic) fertilizers and feed additives in which is minimized. Genetically modified organisms are excluded in production.
Efficiency of production is enhanced by fertilizing plants with mineral and organic fertilizers, controlling pests and weeds, using the effect of crop rotation and other environmentally friendly practices.
Organic Agriculture Methods
The methodology is primarily aimed at supporting the fertile soil properties in crop production, namely:
- maintaining the existence of soil biota (microorganisms);
- the use of organic fertilizers only (green manure, manure, compost, crop residues);
- bone and blood meal, minerals are used as mineral top dressing;
- use in the fight against pests of their natural enemies or specific pathogenic substances;
- weed control is carried out by crop rotation, taking into account the development cycle and the depth of planting of pest seeds.
In livestock farming, organic farming is characterized by the following methods, providing for the rejection of:
- permanent stall maintenance;
- synthetic food additives and hormonal drugs.
The prophylactic (preventive) use of antibiotics is expressly excluded. It is compulsory grazing in open pastures. Humane ethological (taking into account the behavioral characteristics of animals) agriculture is welcome. Organic fertilizers of livestock farming are included in the closed cycle of all production.
Land prospects of Russia
The Moscow Institute of Organic Agriculture cites data on 40 million hectares of fertile land that never received fertilizer. This does not include lands that are in agricultural use and are likely to be able to obtain certificates. This amount of uncultivated land is greater than the area of land under organic agriculture worldwide.
It is predicted that by 2025 global producers of organic agriculture will yield to Russia up to 20% of the world organic market. This refers to the legal market, since the illegal market for organic products is filled with products from Russian manufacturers. The Institute of Organic Agriculture, citing such statistics, emphasizes that the development of rural areas, improving the health of the nation and the country's receipt of a new sphere of world influence is a very realistic prospect. But subject to the qualitative implementation of this production, effective state support to farms and, most importantly, the adoption of a modern regulatory framework.
Problems of legislative acts of Russia
At the eleventh All-Russian forum “The Health of the Nation - the Basis for Russia's Prosperity” held on April 20 this year in Moscow, a round table was held on the problems of greening agriculture. The representative of the Department of Science and Technology Policy and Education of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation V. A. Nesmeyanov emphasized the importance of regulatory legal acts for the greening of the agricultural sector. And he assured those present that in the fall of this year, the much-anticipated law on organic agriculture would be presented to the State Duma. His updated project, taking into account the comments and suggestions of the regions, is already completely ready.
Why is it important
According to the Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education FTSSK APK, the following figures emphasize the importance of greening rural production:
- 30 to 50 percent of diseases of Russian citizens are associated with poor-quality food products;
- the percentage of children with disabilities and people with disabilities is increasing every year;
- mortality from non-communicable diseases as a result of the introduction of agricultural biologization measures is significantly reduced, which is proved by the experience of other countries.
This is only a small part of the problems that organic agriculture will help to cope with.
Features of the environmental component
The problem of preserving biocenoses in the context of the global environmental crisis cannot but worry all the inhabitants of the planet, including Russians. A third of the pollution of the global ecosystem is in the agricultural sector. Intensive industrial agriculture is detrimental to the Russian economy in the amount of three billion rubles a year. The introduction of organic farming methods not only does not harm, but can also improve disturbed ecosystems. Organic production is able to reduce energy consumption by half, greenhouse gas emissions ¾ of their volume in traditional crop production.
An increase in biodiversity, biological methods of preserving and increasing the fertile properties of the soil lead to a decrease in the level of pollution of the drinking water basin on the planet and, ultimately, to the preservation of the biosphere in a global sense.
Demographic component
The problem of the disappearance of villages and a decline in the rural population of Russia has been around for a long time. The 2010 census revealed 19,400 points that are de jure, but have no residents. Organic production, with its support by the state, can reduce the outflow of citizens from the village and give an incentive to migration to the village. There are more children in rural families, long-livers live in villages. Such a turn in the migration processes within the country will certainly have a positive effect and will affect the demographic situation in Russia.
Organic agriculture is a long-term investment that develops the infrastructure of the village, promotes green tourism and ensures stable development of the territories.
Social benefits
About improving people's health and, as a result, reducing the burden on the country's budget has already been mentioned. The Research Institute of Nutrition RAMS cites data on annual budget losses from diseases associated with products of 13,000 billion rubles. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the number of preschool children with disabilities and disabilities is increasing every year. Over the period 2015-2016, their number increased by more than 800 thousand people. - from 6 347 292 to 7 160 008 people.
Organic products, as a result of organic production, do not contain residues of synthetic fertilizers and growth hormones, which is especially important for allergy sufferers (and this is 30% of the population), children, pregnant and lactating women, people with various digestive disorders and many others.
Russian avant-garde industry
The United States (45%), Germany (14%) and France (8%) are the leaders in the organic market today.
In Russia, the innovators of organic farming are the Agranta group of companies and the Organic Corporation.
The AgriVolga holding of Agranta alone consists of 15 meat and dairy products with a developed breeding sector.
In May 2013, at the initiative of these major players in the agricultural sector, the National Organic Union was created, uniting all adherents of the philosophy of organic lifestyle. The Union organizes and conducts seminars and training programs for farmers, conducts active educational and propaganda work.
Activities
Representatives of theoretical science and agrarian practitioners should join efforts in preserving the health of the nation, and organic agriculture in Russia should develop and increase production. In this context, the following steps can be considered appropriate steps:
- create scientifically based recommendations for agricultural producers on the stages and possible degree of greening;
- to develop and implement a set of measures to support the conduct of interdisciplinary research on the combined effects of pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, nutritional supplements on health;
- accelerate the development and introduction into the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the draft federal law “On the production and circulation of organic products (organic products)”;
- creation of scientifically based recommendations by medical specialists to inform the public about the benefits of such products;
- to develop a set of measures to stimulate the transition of agricultural producers to organic farming technologies and crop biologization;
- recommend the use of organic products in the nutrition system of educational structures.
Organic agriculture is an industry that needs to be supported and developed for the benefit of our children, future generations of Russians and the whole country!