Rosselkhozbank opened a "Farmer's School" in the Penza region

On September 1, the third stage of the large-scale educational project of the Russian Agricultural Bank "Farmer's School" started in Russia. The doors of the “School” were opened in 27 regions for almost 1,000 students by Boris Listov, Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhozbank, and Oksana Lut, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. The total geography of the project has increased 10 times a year to 41 regions, and rural tourism has appeared among the new areas of training.

“A year later, we are already seeing the results of the first graduates. We see it in real projects: sown fields, renovated poultry farms, new cheese dairies and dairy farms. Today, students of the School of the Farmer in 27 regions are in touch. But our country is much larger and more diverse. And we want education to be available to everyone who aspires to be a farmer. Therefore, we decided to “connect” the whole of Russia to the project. To this end, we are launching an online version of the Farmer's School. Broadcasts and video recordings will be posted on the digital platform of Rosselkhozbank Svoe Fermerstvo. I would like to wish all the students of the School of the Farmer to get the drive from this profession and realize their entrepreneurial talent to the maximum!” Boris Listov addressed the project participants.

According to Oksana Lut, the educational project over the previous two seasons has proved its effectiveness, allowing to significantly expand the competencies of entrepreneurs and the horizons for their business. “The increase in the number of students and the expansion of the geography of the project demonstrate the demand for this format of training among farmers and their desire to receive relevant business education. I would like to note that along with the support of agricultural production, the Ministry of Agriculture stimulates the development of other types of activities of small forms of management. For example, from 2022 we plan to pay close attention to the field of rural tourism, and this direction will definitely be introduced into the educational program of the School of Farmers,” said Oksana Lut.

The Farmer's School is one of the most important projects for the development of the country's agricultural sector and farming in particular. Damate has been participating in the Rosselkhozbank project since its launch, the company's specialists train farmers in the Caucasus, where we are developing lamb production. Our sheep breeding project operates on a contract farming model that is unique for Russia, which is why Shkola plays an important role in its development. After all, our main idea is to gather thousands of farmers around us, to help them in the field of genetics, feeding, veterinary medicine, which will allow us to obtain a high-quality product. Today we are already actively working with 60 farmers, 30 of whom have just completed the Farmer's School, said Naum Babaev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Damate.

Students of the third stream will be trained in 20 specialties. In the Penza region, beef cattle breeding and vegetable growing were chosen as the most promising areas of study in the region.
“Today, the development of the agricultural industry is one of the priorities not only in the Penza region, but also in the country as a whole. It is important that highly qualified specialists come to agriculture who will be able, using their professional skills, to increase the economic efficiency of the agro-industrial complex. The Farmer's School is exactly the kind of project thanks to which novice farmers will be able to realize themselves in the agro-industrial complex, having received the necessary knowledge base to launch and further develop their own business in the countryside," said Acting Minister of Agriculture of the Penza Region Roman Kalentiev.

In addition, the curricula include such mandatory subjects as marketing, organics, financial and non-financial services, gas motor fuel, agricultural cooperation, digital solutions, distribution channels, promotion of regional brands (Tastes of Russia project).

Representatives of the administrations of the participating regions, students, rectors of agricultural universities, heads of agricultural enterprises, graduates of previous streams, ambassadors of the Russian Agricultural Bank took part in the opening ceremony of the third wave of the Farmer's School.

Since the start of the launch in 2020, 466 students in 16 regions in 17 unique specializations have been trained at the School of the Farmer, and 45 of the most talented students of the second wave have received a grant from the Russian Agricultural Bank and the Svoye Agro-Food Fund for the creation and development of new small forms of farming.

In the Penza region, along with 24 regions, the initiative of the Russian Agricultural Bank is being implemented for the first time. 25 Penza farmers became students. Training for them will take place on the basis of the Penza State Agrarian University.
“Today, agriculture is beginning to change, so farmers need to acquire new knowledge, study trends and technologies for the development of farming for its successful management. Penza Agrarian University has all the opportunities for training personnel in the field of agro-industrial complex. I am sure that participation in the Farmer's School project for each of the newly minted students is a great incentive to continue doing what you love and develop your business,” commented Oleg Kukharev, rector of the Penza State Agrarian University.

The Farmer's School is a federal educational project of the Russian Agricultural Bank on the basis of leading agricultural universities and agricultural enterprises, combining the capabilities of the Ministry of Agriculture, regions, specialized universities, large businesses and farmers with the aim of theoretical and practical training of professional personnel for agriculture.

“Rosselkhozbank pays special attention to the development of small businesses. The Farmer's School project will open up new opportunities for both novice farmers - to launch and successfully develop their business, and existing ones - in terms of improving the efficiency of their current business. We, together with our partners: the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agrarian University, have created an interesting, rich and, most importantly, useful training program. The course includes both theoretical knowledge and practical sessions at the sites of integrators,” said Alexander Zimnyakov, director of the Penza branch of Rosselkhozbank.

Students acquire theoretical training, studying the legal aspects of the work of farms, financial business models, the basics of marketing; get acquainted with the latest agricultural technologies; are trained at the leading enterprises of the industry, learn to cooperate with large holdings. And the course ends with the defense of business plans.
Graduates receive state-recognised diplomas in areas of agriculture and the opportunity to participate in the competitive selection for support measures from the Ministry of Agriculture.

The training is financed by the Russian Agricultural Bank. The total duration of the course is up to three months.

JSC "Rosselkhozbank" is the basis of the national credit and financial system for servicing the agro-industrial complex of Russia. The bank was founded in 2000 and today is a key lender to the country's agro-industrial complex, is one of the largest and most stable banks in the country in terms of assets and capital, as well as one of the leaders in the reliability rating of the largest Russian banks.