NATALIA SHAGAIDA: “STRATEGY IS A VISION OF THE FUTURE”

New challenges related to the geopolitical situation and intensification of sanctions have required to adjust the goals. The government has updated the Strategy for development of the agro-industrial and fisheries sectors until 2030 on the instructions of the President. The main goal is to reach a sustainable growth of the industry by 3% per year. However, this will require state support approximately at Rb900 bn, while at present, the financing of the agro-industrial sector is expected to be reduced compared with this year's volumes.

“Strategy is a vision for achieving the future in rural areas. This future has to be first described. Apparently, there had to be room for discussion about ensuring growth, renovating a few houses or building a few new ones, increasing exports or drawing up idle lands, etc. However, it doesn't really show the whole picture of the ultimate goal. It is the means, not the ends.

What the state wants to see in so many years in rural areas and how should it contribute? It would be logical to assume that it expects a populated rural area, decent places to live and earn a living in the countryside, and this requires the development of territories, competitive agriculture using skilled labor as well as non-agricultural production. Each group and area need different measures to stimulate development in this direction. The national objectives embrace these measures on the whole, however, moving from national objectives to sectoral programs result in transformation into much smaller areas in relation to the current state of rural development.

In my opinion, it seems that the new document has largely consolidated the activities or directions of existing state programs. Hence, I should point out straight away that it is extremely difficult to prepare such documents, it takes a lot of discussion to formulate a consensus on the future picture and goals," commented Natalia Shagaida.