St. Petersburg State Agrarian University begins work in the development of agro-industrial complex in African countries

From the 19 to the 23 of November, a delegation of experts from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, led by Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Export Development of AIC Products A.V. Malkhasyan, visited the African continent. St. Petersburg State Agrarian University was represented by Roman Kolesnikov, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and International Work.

Within the framework of the trip, the delegation met with the agricultural attaché in Morocco. At this meeting, they discussed issues of cooperation in the recruitment of foreign students from neighboring African countries, including within the quota set by the Russian Government. Afterwards, in the city of Bangui, Central African Republic, the Russian delegation met with G. Hamza, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Central African Republic.

The parties expressed mutual interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation in the agro-industrial sphere. The CAR has a significant potential for agricultural development: the area of fertile land is estimated at 15 million hectares, and 80% of Central Africans are employed in the agricultural sector. This sector accounts for about 50% of CAR's GDP. Russia, in turn, has a wealth of experience in breeding, seed production, livestock breeding, and veterinary medicine, which could be useful for increasing agricultural productivity in CAR.

Following a working meeting with experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of CAR, it was decided to work out an agreement on cooperation in the field of science and education with the Central African Institute for Agricultural Research (ICRA). Within the framework of the working meeting, the delegation of Russian scientists visited the Russian House in Bangui, where they discussed the attraction of students within the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation to study in Russia with the involvement of specialists from St. Petersburg State Agrarian University and Kuban State Agrarian University. The following priorities were identified: agriculture, including mechanization, agronomy, agrochemistry, crop production, and plant protection.

St. Petersburg State Agrarian University plans to further actively develop cooperation with African countries, both in attracting foreign students and in organizing additional education for citizens of these countries.

By the way, one of the most ambitious tasks set by the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Oksana Lut, is to increase the number of foreign students in agricultural universities up to 30 thousand by 2030. In order to realize it, it is necessary to establish close cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Rossotrudnichestvo.