Non-financial support of farmers from the Agricultural Bank

Rosselkhozbank "ploughed" digital field for farmers

To create your farm from scratch and develop it through the Internet is not a scenario of a popular online game, but a modern way to conduct agribusiness. It is already used by about hundreds of thousands of Russian agricultural producers registered on the Vashnoy platform . Farming. "

An ideological inspirer and chief curator of the process of creating and launching "His. Farming "became Liszt Boris Pavlovich. Under his patronage in the summer of 2019, the RSHB developed the platform concept. The main task that Listov set for his team is to develop an ecosystem for the real needs of farmers.

Bank specialists came to farms, talked a lot with farmers about their problems and needs. And then the RSHB team looked for solutions, relying on their own resources or the help of partners who already had ready-made services to solve the issues identified by farmers.

The concept was ready by October 2019. Sheets approved it, and IT specialists began to implement the project. The development of the first products started in November, five months later, in April 2020, the MVP (minimum visible product or test version of the platform) was ready. For users, "Own. Farming "opened in July.

At the first stage, the ecosystem allowed farmers to automate primary processes. With the help of digital services, farmers were able to attract personnel (according to experts, farmers need to attract more than 1.1 million people annually for seasonal work), receive veterinary care and use digital farm management tools and advanced agricultural technologies.

"My own. Farming "opened up access to new markets through the marketplace and allowed agricultural producers to offer their products to a wide range of suppliers, including from the HoReCa segment.

"The ecosystem will be integrated with all services that provide for business interaction with state authorities," said Irina Zhachkina, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the RSHB, on the eve of the launch of the platform.

For reference: Zhachkina Irina Vladimirovna has been working in the RSHB group since 2010. For the first four years - in the status of adviser to the head of the bank, she concurrently managed a subsidiary of CJSC SK RSHB-Insurance. In 2014, she was approved as Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Agricultural Bank, in 2018 she became the First Deputy Head of the RSHB. Previously, she worked at VTB Insurance as the head of the Department of Insurance and Corporate Risks of administrative and managerial personnel (in the status of deputy general director). He has a master's degree in economics (graduated from the Plekhanov REU in 2017). She received her first higher education at Moscow Pedagogical State University (specialty "linguistics and intercultural communication").

Over the year, the ecosystem has scaled. As of November 2021, agricultural producers through Hovoy. Farming "can apply for a loan, lease equipment, conduct online accounting and even confirm the compliance of their products with the canons of Islam through a special service" Halal Certification. "

"One of our key tasks is to help the Russian farm movement get stronger. It has a tremendous creative force. We work in order to surround farmers and villagers with the most convenient services, always be there and be more for them than a bank, "Liszt emphasizes.

By July 2021, demand for the platform's capabilities increased significantly: its services helped more than 70 thousand agricultural producers conduct business. The following indicators have increased tenfold:

• the number of suppliers increased 46 times - up to 6 thousand;
• customers became 43 times more - 130 thousand;
• the number of goods presented reached half a million, which is 100 times more than at the start.

Value of small brands

An important part of the success of any business is a well-functioning sales market. Listov, as an experienced financier who has been working with the agricultural sector for almost 12 years, understands that it is very difficult for small agricultural enterprises to promote their brands without outside help. Someone is trying to open online stores, but funds for the development of their own marketplaces and competent marketing are often not enough. And not everyone has the necessary knowledge and skills.

Boris Listov began to solve this problem while still serving as First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the RSHB. He initiated the creation of a festival of farm products called "HOVO." This project has been implemented since 2017 with the support of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

"VASHOV" introduces Russians to farmers and their products. The festival combines several formats:

• fair (places are provided to agricultural producers free of charge);
• cultural event (local creative groups perform at the venues);
• entertainment program (workshops for children and adults);
• business program for farmers.

The festival has already been attended by over a thousand farms and more than half a million visitors. For some, this was a good opportunity to advertise their products, for others - to find their own farmer, whose goods can be doubted. In September 2021, Liszt said: "VASHOV" should be available in all regions, so they plan to make it year-round in an online format.

Konstantin Sychev, general director of the Kurshavalskaya Cheese Factory, located near Dmitrov, shares: "The festival helps to promote our brand, gives us support and development. We have been participating for more than a year, and people come to us who took our cheese a year or two ago, find us and say: "Oh, we remember you!" And they buy again. We also communicate with colleagues, try each other's products. There is a full healthy exchange at all levels. "

For reference: Sychev Konstantin Viktorovich founded the Kurshavalskaya cheese factory enterprise in 2017. His business is selling cheese in medium and small wholesale. The production uses selected raw milk from suppliers from the Moscow and Yaroslavl regions. The company now has three registered trademarks:

• "Kurshaval cheeses";
• "Planet Kurshaval";
• "AdyGorets."

The geography of supplies totals 8 Russian regions.

"VASHOV" became the first large-scale platform for promoting regional agricultural brands and popularizing local products. Following him, another one appeared, already in an online format: the Russian Agricultural Bank under the leadership of Boris Listov launched a single portal for farmers participating in the festival. On the svoebrand.ru platform in 2019, over 500 farms from all over the country were represented. This service in 2020 was integrated into the ecosystem "Hovoy. Farming, "where he was called" His Own. Native. " Any manufacturer can add their products to the online store and create their own online showcase completely free of charge. According to September 2021, more than six thousand Russian farmers from 70 regions of the country already use the site.

Listov emphasizes: the site is useful to all participants in the transaction. Manufacturers get new customers, and customers are able to purchase high-quality, fresh and useful products without intermediaries and surcharges. All costs of marketing and promotion of the RSHB platform are borne.

"We have created our own online store and application through which you can make delivery orders. But the online store itself does not work well. Aggregators are much more popular, where a person can order different products: milk from one producer, greens and vegetables from another. Therefore, the platform of Rosselkhozbank is more promising. We got a personal account in there. The bank even helps in small things: its specialists photographed our products and placed them with descriptions. I hope that the new sales channel will help us grow, "said farmer Alexei Burkov.

For reference: Burkov Alexey Olegovich owns a farm in the village of Ankudinovo (NovDonbass administrative district). It produces products from the milk of its own cows (cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, yogurt, ricotta cheese, brynza and semi-solid cheeses). In Burkov's economy of 25 milk cows, 200 hens, chickens, sheep and ostrich. The farmer grows seasonal vegetables, fruits and berries. Also organizes agricultural tours for its production.

President of the Association of Peasant (Farm) Farms and Agricultural Cooperatives of Russia (ACCOR) Vladimir Plotnikov cites data: over the past five years, farm production has increased by 60%, reaching 706 billion rubles in 2020. He notes that this segment of the agro-industrial complex has become a real pillar of the Russian agricultural industry. And this is the undeniable merit of the Agricultural Bank, which annually increases the volume of financial support for small forms of economic management (in 2020, the RSHB provided KFH with over 70 billion rubles, 81% of them on preferential terms) and its head Boris Listov, who pays great attention to the development of farming.

"The success of farmers is the success of Russia. We welcome the bank's creation of new products, as well as non-financial services, "says Vladimir Plotnikov.

For reference: Plotnikov Vladimir Nikolaevich has been leading the ACCOR since 2005. He has two academic degrees - candidate of agricultural and doctor of economics. State Duma deputy of five convocations (I, II, III, IV and VII). In the State Duma of the VII convocation, he served as first deputy chairman of the committee on agrarian issues. Also on his track record is a senatorial post (he worked in the Federation Council from 2009 to 2014). In agriculture since 1984: after graduating from a specialized university, he worked as an agronomist and seed grower in the Gusevskoye collective farm.

In the spring of 2021, the RSHB, under the leadership of Boris Listov, launched a full-scale communication campaign, the purpose of which is to talk about the work of farmers and the high quality of Russian products. Almost 250 ambassadors joined the project, including famous artists, bloggers, writers, athletes, travelers, farmers and restaurateurs from dozens of regions of the country. In support of farmers, the Rosselkhozbank released 70 commercials with their participation.

Inauguration of the village: how Boris List develops agrotourism

Another service integrated into the RSHB ecosystem helps solve the problem of developing agrotourism. "My own. Outside the city "is a platform where farmers offer to visit their farmstead, see how production is arranged, and communicate with animals. "This is recreation plus craft workshops, hunting, fishing, phytotherapy and much more. That is, for residents of large cities, the opportunity for a full-fledged vacation in rural areas opens up, "said the head of the bank, Boris Listov.

In addition, Lista actively supports projects designed to show the whole world the beauty and identity of the Russian village. In 2020, the RSHB, together with the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages (ASKDR), organized an expedition called "Russian North 2.0." In three weeks, its participants:

• covered over five thousand kilometers;
• visited three dozen settlements;
• took part in 15 master classes from local fishermen and craftsmen;
• shot more than 100 hours of video material.

They plunged into the extraordinary nature and atmosphere of the Russian North, saw with their own eyes the lives of amazing people inhabiting these territories. According to the results of the expedition, six settlements were included in the list of the most beautiful villages in the world. Rostourism They promised to create the necessary tourist infrastructure in such settlements.

"The Russian north is a real treasure on the tourist map of our country, which not everyone knows about. We are participating in this project because we are close to its ideology: the RSHB understands better than others the beauty of the villages, their development prospects and needs. Moreover, we are working consistently to improve the quality of life in the countryside, "said Boris Listov.

In 2021, joint expeditions of the Agricultural Bank and ASKDR plan to visit 20 regions of the country. This fall, they went to one of the most beautiful and mysterious places on the planet - on the shores of Lake Baikal. For 12 days, participants in the highway traveled through several districts of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia.

On September 21 and 22, a solemn inauguration of two villages in Buryatia took place - Ambassadorial and Hoito-Gol, which were among the 32 Russian villages recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world.

According to Boris Listov, agrotourism in Russia is becoming an increasingly promising business area with great potential for development. According to experts of the RSHB, today several thousand domestic farms can launch their own tourist programs. And the number of potential agricultural tourists can reach 2 million people in the coming years.

Domestic tourism can spur the development of the Russian village, Liszt is sure. First, it helps raise funds in the settlement economy. Secondly, residents of cities, especially during the pandemic and closed borders, appreciated rural romance, the ability to breathe fresh air and eat high-quality foods from their own garden. Many realized that you can work remotely and not tie yourself to concrete walls. And someone even wanted to create their own farm.

Experts at the RSHB Industry Expertise Center calculated: in the foreseeable future, about 2-3 million people can move to the countryside. And this is only taking into account the already existing infrastructure.

Listov already notes the growing interest of our compatriots in housing in the countryside. Only under the preferential rural mortgage program, apartments and private houses in small settlements were acquired by more than 67 thousand Russian families.

RSHB and personnel policy

The personnel issue is acute in all sectors of the economy, including agriculture. Boris Listov, as the head of the support bank of the agricultural sector, is interested in attracting qualified specialists to the village. Including - youth. Therefore, Lista is actively introducing support programs for talented agribusiness students and educational projects for those who want to create their business "in the field" from scratch.

Since 2019, the RSHB, on the initiative of Boris Listov, has been paying nominal scholarships to the best students of Russian agribusiness. During the year, children who study well, conduct scientific activities and participate in Olympiads receive a cash bonus.

A survey conducted in 2020 showed: among other things, students spend additional income on travel, self-development and charity. Thus, scholarships become not just an incentive, but an instrument for the additional growth and development of young specialists both personally and professionally.

Every year, the number of participants in the scholarship program and the amount of payments increase. In 2020, the size of scholarships increased by a quarter, reaching 12.5 thousand rubles. There are almost 40% more recipients (396 people). In the new 2021-2022 academic year, financial support from the Agricultural Bank increased to 15 thousand rubles a month, it is already received by 450 students of 66 agricultural universities.

Lista is sure: agriculture in the conditions of rapid development needs young progressive specialists with their drive and innovative ideas. Professionals of a new level will be able to make the domestic agro-industrial complex an even more promising and attractive industry.

"We are well aware of the importance of investing in human capital. RSHB will continue to do everything so that active, hardworking and widely thinking young people come to the agricultural industry, "emphasizes Boris List.

In the new academic year, Listov launched another scholarship program for IT students of three leading Russian universities: Moscow State University, Higher School of Economics and Bauman Moscow State Technical University. 40 talented and ambitious senior students will also receive monthly payments from the RSHB.

In addition, students of these and other technical universities who receive IT specialties can undergo a digital internship at the bank. The conditions are as loyal as possible: you can choose the schedule and volume of the load, receive a salary and count on a place in the state if you prove yourself well.

Another educational project created under the patronage of Boris Listov can be attended by anyone, regardless of age, profession and social status. In the "Farmer's School" come both mothers in decree, and entrepreneurs, and pensioners (the oldest student - for 70!). The main thing is the desire to work in agriculture.

For a couple of months, "schoolchildren" comprehend the basics of running a profitable agribusiness. Teachers of agricultural enterprises work with them, heads of leading agricultural enterprises share their experience. Students are told about how to conduct accounting, what it takes to get state support, what agricultural technologies are better to introduce into production. In short, they help create agribusiness from scratch. The final exam is a defense of your own business plan.

In the first academic year, 466 people from 16 regions of the country graduated from the Farmer's School. As Liszt noted, the training program includes not only traditional, but also promising areas: among 17 specializations there was, for example, city farming. 45 graduates who presented the best business projects received grants for their implementation.

In September 2021, about a thousand students sat down at the desks of the Farmer's School. The geography of the project, which now has 27 regions, has also expanded, and there are already 20 in the new academic year. Moreover, Lista announced the launch of an online version of the project: all broadcasts and videos can be found on the Hugo platform. Farming. "

For reference: Listov Boris Pavlovich has been working with Russian agricultural producers for 12 years. In 2009, Liszt joined the post of First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Agricultural Bank. For nine years, he oversaw such key areas of work of the RSHB as timely and stable financing of seasonal work. Also, Boris Listov's area of ​ ​ responsibility included the management of credit policy-making processes and the activities of the risk management committee. Before RSHB, Boris Listov worked in a number of other credit and financial organizations. From 1995 to 2002, Listov led the work of internal control services: first at Baltonex Bank, then at Transcreditbank. For two years he worked as managing director at Finartis LLC. In 2007, Listov Boris Pavlovich was delegated from the Legislative Assembly of the Jewish Autonomous Okrug to the Federation Council. As senator, Liszt oversaw the work of the upper house of parliament in the field of improving legislation on financial issues. Listov received several higher formations. First, economic, based on FINEC. The second, legal, in the Moscow State Law School. Boris Listov also has a degree in economics. Since 2018, Listov has been heading the Board of the Agricultural Bank.