Every region of Belarus should adopt a similar approach: lessons from a large seminar in Shklov district

The Shklov district should be a model for regional development for the whole country. On the instructions of the Head of State, the base for this has been created in recent years: new livestock complexes, milk and feed factories have been built, and a modern regional agricultural service has been created from scratch. These locomotives must now operate efficiently. All these facilities became the points of a large seminar on modern approaches to regional development, held on November 8 in Shklov. It brought together representatives of all regions.

A large-scale modernization was completed at RUE Shklovsky Agroservice on behalf of the President a few months ago. Now the complex consists of five buildings: an office, a central repair shop, a warranty warehouse building, a welding and body repair shop for trailers, a service station for passenger cars. At the multifunctional complex, almost the entire plume of equipment is repaired: forage and grain harvesters, tractors, even utilities graders, said Sergey Nizovets, director of RUE Shklovsky District Agroservice:

- The company is fully commissioned, more than half of the required employees were selected. The workshop is able to “put on its feet” energy-saturated tractors, forage and grain harvesters, forklifts and other equipment. Our prospects are good, provided with all the necessary equipment. The facility is very important to the area. Yes, the farms have their own workshops, but they perform simple routine repairs. Our center can accept equipment of any scale.

The main task of the center is to make high-quality service for agricultural producers affordable and prompt, says the head of the main department of technical progress and energy, state supervision over the technical condition of machines and equipment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Stanislav Karpovich:

- Preparation of equipment is an important stage in the life of every agricultural organization. 95% of it is brought by farms into working condition with the use of components, components and assemblies repaired in agroservice organizations. They are connected if the farm cannot organize the repair of technically complex machines. Good engineering potential is concentrated here, which solves problems at the highest level.

The technique that comes to agriculture is significantly different from the one that was ten years ago, in complexity, manufacturability, maintainability, draws the attention of the General Director of Brestoblagroservis Vladimir Makhnach:

- In order for this equipment to be properly and well operated, it must be properly maintained and repaired. Not every farm can create such conditions. The President decided that regional agricultural service organizations should exist and develop. And in Shklov we see one of the brightest examples of the implementation of this decision. After all, in order not only to repair, but also to maintain equipment that works in the countryside, highly qualified, competent specialists are needed, as well as a base, devices, tools and conditions for people. Shklovsky district service is an example of how it should be in each region and in the future, probably in each district. Modernization of the dry feed production workshop in Shklov was carried out on behalf of the President in 2024-2025. Investments amounted to 22 million rubles. The company now has its own brand Shklov Mill. The capacity of 100 thousand tons completely covers the needs of the district. There is also a line for processing rapeseed oil seeds with a capacity of up to 5 thousand tons per year, two grain drying complexes of 30 and 40 tons per hour.

Denis Moyzyato, Director of Shklovskaya Mill, emphasizes that the main effect of modernization is economic, because for the growth of yields and gain in the diet of animals, there should be mixed feed, not just grain:

- In the future – the transfer of the plant to round-the-clock operation, we plan to add another 60 thousand for additional implementation. The expected revenue is estimated at 106 million rubles per year. For workers, modernization means improving working conditions and increasing wages.

To see innovations in business, the opportunity to learn firsthand about the economics of innovation - this is how the participants talked about the meaning of the seminar.

Chairman of the Old Dorozhsky District Executive Committee Alexander Protashchik noted that the agro-industrial complex facilities in Shklovsky district, which were demonstrated, are of interest from the point of view of technological innovations:

- We see a modern approach to make it comfortable for people to work and attract young people to agriculture. A lot has already been done in the country. Our neighborhood is agricultural. The development program focuses on the dairy direction. The most important secret is teamwork for results, so the emphasis on the ground should be on strengthening technology. The Shklov base for processing and storage of mineral fertilizers is one of the eight bases of agricultural chemistry of Agromashservice Holding Management Company. The production site became the property of the holding in 2024. At the expense of the company's own funds, a large-scale modernization was carried out with a total cost of 4.3 million rubles: modern equipment was purchased, warehouses and access roads were repaired. The company has about 20 employees. The average monthly salary here has already increased to 3555 rubles.

Vyacheslav Sosnovsky, General Director of Agromashservice Holding OJSC, said that the company’s development roadmap clearly stipulates modernization, strengthening of mechanized squads and strengthening of personnel potential:

- Until 2030, repairs are planned at seven more bases totaling 23 million rubles. In accordance with the instructions of the Head of State, five mechanized detachments were created in the region, in which there are 327 units of equipment. Their share in feed harvesting, export of organic fertilizers and plowing is 16.5 percent, and the average output per unit is two and a half times higher than the regional indicator.

- On this basis, all components are introduced in Shklov: from high-quality storage to the provision of services to agricultural organizations. By introducing such a comprehensive turnkey approach, we are solving the main task set by the Head of State – ensuring maximum return on land and guaranteeing the country’s food security.

The Govyady Dairy and Commodity Complex became a vivid example of successful modernization of existing agricultural facilities. After the President’s remarks, the renovation of the economy was approached comprehensively. Here the fence was replaced, the territory was asphalted, the roof, windows, lighting and stalls were repaired, milking equipment was serviced and walking areas were landscaped. Now the construction of a modern calf dispenser is being completed. In large-scale work involved builders, meliorators and enterprises-chiefs. Comfortable conditions and the introduction of strict technologies are already bearing fruit: the average yield from a cow rose to 17.9 kilograms against September 16. Now the main task is to return to the peak of 38 kilograms. Reconstruction in Govyady is part of the global strategy for the development of the dairy industry of the Mogilev region, aimed at the transition to unbound livestock maintenance. By 2030, it is necessary to build and modernize 85 complexes to reach the production of 1 million tons of milk. As a result, 275 modern MTCs with a completed production cycle will operate in the region.

Shklov’s experience aroused great interest among leaders from other regions. Chairman of the Minsk District Executive Committee Denis Kolesen noted:

- We plan to expand the line of products of the Minsk agricultural service, adopting exactly Shklov developments. Under the influence of the right impulse and tight control of the Head of State, it is possible to roll mountains.

According to the chairman of the Nesvizh district executive committee Andrey Ratomsky, the district aimed at in-depth work with genetics and the search for new hybrids of feed crops:

- At the same time, people remain the key basis for any success in the agro-industrial complex. It is necessary to focus on raising the prestige of agricultural professions among young people. The development of beef cattle breeding is one of the key tasks set by the Head of State. In this context, the experience of the farm for breeding breeding cattle of beef breeds of the branch of the JV “Gorodets” of the RUE “Mogilevoblgaz” near the village of Krivel is interesting. The breeding cattle raised here will go to the domestic and foreign markets, said Sergey Andrush, General Director of RUSPP Mogilev State Plem Enterprise:

- The implementation of gobies will begin in December 2027. The main export directions are Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia. Interested in purchasing Kazakhstan. Starting from 2028, we plan to annually sell 300 breeding heads. In the Mogilev region, this experience will scale: by the end of 2030, the meat herd will increase from 3.9 thousand to 5.6 thousand heads.

Chairman of the Gomel City Executive Committee Ruslan Parkhamovich shared his impressions from the farm:

- Everything is modern, clean and technological, but the main thing is that production discipline is observed, as the Head of State always says. Regulations for animal care, equipment and sanitation are strictly enforced here - and this should be the case everywhere.

Yuri Valevaty, Assistant to the President and Inspector for the Gomel Region, stressed that the conditions created on the farm allow not only to raise livestock, but to make a good economy:

The head of state noted that we are obliged to engage in meat cattle breeding. This is a popular premium product for export and the domestic market. But the main thing here is the approaches to construction and technology. Updated after the reconstruction of the mechanic branch of the JV "Gorodets" RUE "Mogilevblegaz" became an example of the organization of repair of equipment and its storage. There is a high level of production culture and labor protection. The formed base is a huge help in the work: workshops allow you to cover most of the repair needs by the farm itself, even accept large-sized equipment. And only serious labor-intensive interventions requiring higher qualifications (for example, repair of energy-saturated tractors) are delegated to the specialists of the Shklovsky District Agroservice.

Such examples should be scaled to the entire republic, says Dmitry Mudrogelov, Chairman of the Mogilev District Executive Committee:

I am sure that each participant of the seminar will implement this experience in their districts and enterprises. Mechanical workshop is the dream of any farm. There are excellent conditions for people: warm, comfortable, you can perform quality repairs of any complexity. It is this approach to work and care for workers that we must replicate throughout the country.

The seminar showed the guidelines to strive for, the chairman of the Krichevsky District Executive Committee Alexey Sharai noted:

- This is a great incentive to work: we see what modern standards need to be ensured in livestock facilities. It is this integrated approach that gives the economic returns demanded by the Head of State and which stands as a task for us, the chairmen of the district executive committees.

SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS SPEAKING

- The President demands high efficiency, and this applies not only to the agro-industrial complex. At one time, RUE Newspaper Plant was built in the area and a major modernization of the Spartak paper factory was carried out. Today, they are on the verge of the second major stage of modernization. In the near future, the Head of State will be presented with a draft document with a step-by-step plan for the further development of these two large enterprises. In addition, in December, a large-scale reconstruction of sewage treatment plants is completed, which will serve all eight industrial enterprises of the district. Reducing the level of subsidies is another key indicator that the leader of the country draws attention to. For the past 15 years, the area has failed. Today, if we take a slice of the five-year plan, the level of subsidies for the area, which is given such increased attention, is high. The Shklov economy should generate enough income and taxes for a deficit-free existence. The tasks of the President are related to the announced transformation of the AIC support system. During the winter, the Government and the Ministry of Finance will present these measures to the Head of State. Their essence is that the degree of dependency, which the Belarusian leader spoke about in recent days, will decrease. Only those enterprises and investment projects are expected to receive assistance. There will no longer be a simple injection of money into local initiatives. We expect that by 2030, within the framework of the current five-year plan, the Shklovsky district will completely reach the non-subsidized level. In recent years, every branch of the local economy has been given great attention – this was expressed in financing, organizational and management decisions and constant experiments of the national scale.

- The creation in all regions of the country of a completed cycle of agricultural production on the Shklov model should become the main reference point for the development of the domestic agro-industrial complex. Shklovshchyna was chosen as a platform not by chance. The district has six key facilities, including modern dairy complexes, a mineral fertilizer storage base and a regional agroservice, which clearly demonstrate the completed production cycle. Each region of the republic should implement a similar approach, albeit taking into account the peculiarities of its “agrarian landscape”. Special emphasis should be placed on the revival of the full-fledged work of district agro-services, they should take on the entire burden of servicing complex equipment, supply of spare parts and technological support of farms. At the same time, one should not consider Shklov objects as something unattainable. These are standard complexes, which, thanks to strict discipline, adherence to technologies and modernization, have been brought to an exemplary state. The day before, during a visit to Govyady ITC, the President clearly indicated that this should be the case always and everywhere. In addition to the dairy industry, it is important for us to develop beef cattle breeding, in particular, the cultivation of Hereford cattle, since quality beef has a huge export potential and brings high profits.

According to their own correspondents

Photo by Andrei Sazonov and Belt