FAO in Ufa: vertical and horizontal partnerships
Photo: ©FAO/Vladimir Mikheev
Given the special role of the Republic of Bashkortostan in the Russian agrifood and forestry sectors – areas directly related to FAO’s mandate – a delegation of the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation visited Ufa on 13-15 April.
Following the agreements reached during a meeting on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2021, Ilshat Fazrakhmanov, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Bashkortostan, held a meeting with the FAO Moscow Office Director, Oleg Kobiakov. The discussion focused on measures that are being taken in the Republic to reorient agricultural production from generating raw materials to manufacturing finished products, to support agricultural producers and consumers, and to ensure the sustainability of the regional economy in the face of sanctions pressure.
Ilshat Fazrakhmanov shared the results of implementing the concept of Bashkortostan food and processing industry development, which envisages a doubling of the sector’s potential by 2026. The Republic’s government has outlined the agribusiness growth points as part of promoting investment projects, particularly in honey and soft cheese production with the goal of gaining a leading position in Russia and Europe.
Oleg Kobiakov announced the readiness of the FAO Moscow Office to actively participate in the “ApiMir” International Forum to be held by the Republic in September 2022 in Ufa, and to disseminate information on this event among its partners in Russian academic and expert circles.
The FAO representative informed the interlocutor that the FAO Moscow Office had prepared an application for the designation of the status of a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) to the site “Wild-honey farming in Bashkortostan”. The only thing left is to form “an initiative group, which would include representatives of the authorities, academia, beekeepers themselves, and civil activists.”
“The application can be submitted to FAO either through the Ministry of Agriculture, or through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is totally up to each country to decide. Russia has yet to join the GIAHS programme. We are to go all the way from the zero kilometer marker,” Oleg Kobiakov explained. “We are to test and trace a path for Russia on the basis of your application.”
Ilshat Fazrakhmanov accepted both proposals of the FAO Moscow Office and immediately gave appropriate instructions, appointing responsible executives from the ministry. The parties agreed to maintain close further contacts, and to organize an FAO field visit to the Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve in May.
On the same day, Oleg Kobiakov met with Ildar Gabitov, Rector of the Bashkir State Agrarian University. The university, of course, has a Beekeeping Department, and as the rector said, “a powerful research apiary located right next to the Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve (in the mountain forest zone of Bashkortostan).”
Photo: ©FAO/Vladimir Mikheev
Currently, the All-Russian Centre for the Development of the Beekeeping Competence and Innovative Technologies is being established at the Bashkir State Agrarian University.
Oleg Kobiakov informed the rector about the launched process of awarding the status of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) to the object “Wild-honey farming in Bashkortostan”. Professor Gabitov promised assistance in finalizing and promoting this application. The parties agreed to outline prospective areas of cooperation, in particular, internships for students and scientists at FAO and conducting experiments by the Bashkir State University on request and in the interests of the Organization.
Photo: ©FAO/ Bashkir State University
On 14 April, at the Bashkir State University Oleg Kobiakov met with Rishat Nigmatullin, Deputy Director of the Bashkir State University for International Affairs and Public Relations, and with students of the Faculty of Law. The communication took place in a lecture format followed by an open discussion.
Oleg Kobiakov introduced the audience to FAO’s activities, and also spoke about the goals and objectives set for the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation. He separately highlighted that “there is a cooperation agreement between FAO and the Bashkir State University, and, moreover, FAO is open to accepting students of various specializations for undergraduate practice and internship.”
After the lecture, Oleg Kobiakov answered numerous questions from the audience. The future of global food security was discussed regarding the current events on the territory of Ukraine. The Director of the FAO Moscow Office said that more than a third of global grain production is located in Russia and Ukraine, and over 50 countries, primarily in North Africa and Middle East, depend on the export of their agricultural raw materials and food. At the moment, the disruption of the functioning of logistic supply chains is leading to price spikes. “Such countries as Egypt, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Yemen will be particularly affected,” he added.
Answering the question about the future vector of the FAO Moscow Office, Oleg Kobiakov highlighted that “meeting the goals set in the 2030 Agenda on time is becoming a difficult task, and that is why we are stepping up our efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the functioning of logistic supply chains, and the events in Ukraine have worsened the situation of global commerce and the production of a whole range of food products.
Under such conditions, FAO is a platform for dialogue between all countries, both producing and consuming food, maintains price indexes and food forecasts, and consistently advocates for transparency and rejection of any discriminative measures in trade. FAO has also launched a large-scale operation to support the rural population of Ukraine itself (with a budget of over USD 115 million, it will cover almost 370 000 rural households or one million people), providing assistance in the form of seeds, fertilizers, monetary resources to support small and medium-sized farms.”
The conversation turned to agriculture in African countries. Answering the question “Is it possible to create a project that would make it possible to green the Sahara and the entire Sahel?” Oleg Kobiakov noted, “Not a single mega-project is able to solve global or regional food security issues. However, FAO has accumulated a variety of tools and good practices in the development of the agricultural sector in all countries, including the most underdeveloped suffering from food shortages.”
At the end of the meeting, the Director of the FAO Moscow Office highlighted one more time the complexity of solving food problems, emphasizing that FAO always stands for dialogue, openness, transparency, and joint work at all levels.
See other materials following the working trip to Ufa: