Increasing interstate integration in the agro-industrial complex of the EAEU countries

The article presents the analysis of the integration processes that are taking place in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the unified agro-food policy developed by the participat-ing countries, as well as strategic measures and mechanisms for further interstate integra-tion in the field of agro-industrial production. The article pays special attention to the issues of receiving the real economic (positive) im-pact from the integration through mechanisms promoting a coordinated agrarian policy. The authors substantiate the significance of the cluster approach when creating cross-border units as one of the most effective methods of sustainable development of agricultural produc-tion in rural areas of the EAEC countries. The article proves the viability of creating joint ventures by agricultural producers and determines their basic characteristics. Working on the paper, the authors applied traditional methods of research: dialectical (from general to particular), abstract logical, monographic ones, the method of comparative anal-ysis, and expert assessments. The research findings can be used by the government agencies that work in the field of agro-industrial production and implement targeted complex programs for the development of ag-riculture and regulation of markets of agricultural products, raw materials and food, as well as social development of rural areas. The material presented in the article may be of interest to managers and experts of the agro-industrial complex, scientists, post-graduate students and students exploring the development of international relations and foreign trade.peer-reviewe

From the strategy of food independence to the strategy of raising the competitiveness of agroindustry

In the conditions of the globalization of national economies, the current situation in macroeconomics and, as a result, the need to improve the quality of life of the population, it is necessary to clearly outline and resolve the following three strategic tasks of the country’s agro-food industry: ensuring the country’s foodstaff independence based on import substitution; raising the competitiveness of farm products; developing the high level standard of living at the rural area based on the socio-economic development of the territories. The analysis of the government policy documents and concepts for developing the agricultural sector of the economy has revealed the following. The State Program for the Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Commodities Markets, Agricultural Raw Materials and Foodstuff in 2013–2020 is the main active tool, a primary factor of accelerated agro-food import substitution, and a foundation for the new national agricultural policy. At the same time, the program does not answer the question, how one can really improve the competitiveness of national farm products. It does not outline the tasks and mechanisms to raise the standard of living for the rural population. The article considers the necessity to increase the competitiveness of agro-food sector as a prospective strategic direction in the government export policy. It clarifes the key factors of the influence on the competitiveness of the national farm products, namely: at the macroeconomic level—equivalence of cross-sector exchange, subsidizing and credit financing of the agro-food sector; at the sectoral level—territorial and sectoral specialization in agricultural production and the system of pro t distribution between the producers, processors and retailers of the farm products. The article outlines the possible ways of employment assistance for the rural population left without jobs as a result of improving the competitiveness of the agricultural production. It shows the expediency of the development of both the single scientifically-based interministerial document in the form of the national strategy and some relevant programs to improve the competitiveness of the country’s agro-food industry, employment and income of the rural population

Food Security and Import Substitution: Major Strategic Objectives of Contemporary Agricultural Policy

Rural areas and the agricultural sector are currently experiencing a radically new social and economic situation which barely fits the existing national agricultural policy as a long-term instrument for stimulating the agri-food market and government’s support of the agrarian sector and, primarily, agriculture that underlies it.In the age of globalization of national agri-food markets, food supply security based on import substitution can be ensured in a macro-economic environment that favors the development of a competitive agricultural industry. The main factor preventing the industry from developing is the unequal inter-industrial exchange biased against the rural economy. The article proposes the author’s simple tried and tested schema for evaluating how inter-industry pricing relationships and governmental financial support (in the form of subsidies) to agricultural organizations affect their margins. The evaluation leads to the following conclusions:– Given its real contribution to the national economy, the agro-industry is self-sufficient for its own development, i.e. the state objectively has the potential to increase its expenses on the elimination of the negative consequences from an unequal inter-industry exchange;– Federal expenditures on such state support must secure a margin for agricultural goods producers that enables stimuli for workers’ efficiency and an affordable credit system for the technical and technological upgrade of the facilities required for the production of competitive goods;– The issues of competitive growth of agricultural products require solutions primarily on a federal scale.An essential factor of competitive growth of individual types of national food and agricultural raw materials should involve science proven EEU agricultural treaties. The article discusses the major priorities in developing a common agricultural policy in the new integration institution

Microbiome Responses to an Uncontrolled Short-Term Diet Intervention in the Frame of the Citizen Science Project

Personalized nutrition is of increasing interest to individuals actively monitoring their health. The relations between the duration of diet intervention and the effects on gut microbiota have yet to be elucidated. Here we examined the associations of short-term dietary changes, long-term dietary habits and lifestyle with gut microbiota. Stool samples from 248 citizen-science volunteers were collected before and after a self-reported 2-week personalized diet intervention, then analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Considerable correlations between long-term dietary habits and gut community structure were detected. A higher intake of vegetables and fruits was associated with increased levels of butyrate-producing Clostridiales and higher community richness. A paired comparison of the metagenomes before and after the 2-week intervention showed that even a brief, uncontrolled intervention produced profound changes in community structure: resulting in decreased levels of Bacteroidaceae, Porphyromonadaceae and Rikenellaceae families and decreased alpha-diversity coupled with an increase of Methanobrevibacter, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium and butyrate-producing Lachnospiraceae- as well as the prevalence of a permatype (a bootstrapping-based variation of enterotype) associated with a higher diversity of diet. The response of microbiota to the intervention was dependent on the initial microbiota state. These findings pave the way for the development of an individualized diet.</p

Food Supply Security and Import Substitution as the Key Strategic Objectives of the Modern Agricultural Policy

A crucially new social- and economic situation has shaped up by now in the rural areas and agricultural sphere; in its many instances such situation does not fit in the national agricultural policy in effect called upon to be a long-term instrument for economic adjustment of the agro-food market and state support of the agricultural sphere, most significantly, its foundation — the farming sector. Ensuring of food supply security by import substitution in the age of the national farm product markets globalization is possible in the macro-economic conditions promoting the development of the agricultural sector. The main reason that retards this sector development is inequitable cross-sector exchange at sacrifice of the agricultural industry. The article sets forward and approbates the author’s method of simple assessment procedure of how the price cross-sector relations and state financial support (in the form of subsidies) of the agricultural enterprises influence their profitability generation. Further to the assessment, the following conclusions have been made: — in view of the tangible contribution of the agricultural sector to the country economy, this sector is self-reliant for its own development, i.e. the state is reasonably in a position to increase expenses for eliminating negative consequences of inequitable crosssector exchange; — the amount of expenses for state financial support is supposed to enable the agricultural commodity producers to generate profitability to the level that can stimulate the farm workers’ labour efficiency and build up a system of affordable credit facilities for the objects of techno-engineering modernization necessary to produce competitive products. — the issue of improving the competitiveness of agricultural production should be addressed in the first place at the federal level. Among the essential factors to increase the competitiveness of specific types of domestic food products and agricultural raw materials, one should consider the implementation of theoretically sustained agreements on the agricultural policy in EEU countries. The article considers the guidelines to form the common agricultural policy in the new integrated entity

Spatial development and management of strategy for socioeconomic growth of macroregions in Russia

This article deals with issues of spatial development and management of strategy for socioeconomic growth of macroregions with analysis of internal and external directions that impede the spatial development. A system was formulated for management of macroregions’ spatial development. Strategic objectives were determined for priority social and economic development areas. A structure of rural conglomerations was considered where rural areas shall be adjacent to each other or border with hamlet areas, that is, they shall have neighboring borders of municipal settlement with number of permanent populations of not more than 30,000 residents. The conditions for the formation of an agricultural agglomeration mechanism for the development of agricultural patterns in a strategic perspective with the provision of socio-economic effects in the implementation of the set targets are determined. Establishment of agricultural collaborative and corporate clusters was substantiated considering general requirements formulated. The indicators were formulated for productive and economic activities related with structural, dynamic and target block of economic growth

Strategy for the agricultural human resource potential development and management in priority and border geostrategic territories (regions) of Russia

Analysis of agricultural sub-sectors personnel of some priority and border geostrategic territories (regions) revealed negative trends and main problems in the human resources formation and management in the agricultural business. The personnel potential and the structure of personnel in the sub-sectors of the economy is formed without the practical application of educational standards and production competencies and the effective use of digital systems in the field of their management. In this regard, particular steps were undertaken to eliminate these inconsistencies, primarily related to the strategic development of agricultural business in priority and border geostrategic regions. The ways of the strategy for the agricultural business personnel potential development are formulated and measures for the formation of the strategy of the agricultural sub-sectors personnel potential of priority and border geostrategic regions are developed based on the monitoring of these territories on the issue of the efficiency of the functioning of the personnel of agricultural business. Indicators for assessing human resource management and strategic directions for human resources training (advanced training) in the agricultural sector and the practical application of educational standards and production competencies, as well as the effective use of digital systems in the field of their management are proposed

Knomics-Biota - a system for exploratory analysis of human gut microbiota data

Abstract Background Metagenomic surveys of human microbiota are becoming increasingly widespread in academic research as well as in food and pharmaceutical industries and clinical context. Intuitive tools for investigating experimental data are of high interest to researchers. Results Knomics-Biota is a web-based resource for exploratory analysis of human gut metagenomes. Users can generate and share analytical reports corresponding to common experimental schemes (like case-control study or paired comparison). Interactive visualizations and statistical analysis are provided in association with the external factors and in the context of thousands of publicly available datasets arranged into thematic collections. The web-service is available at https://biota.knomics.ru. Conclusions Knomics-Biota web service is a comprehensive tool for interactive metagenomic data analysis