Russia and Sustainable Development Goals
Russia supported the new 2030 Agenda, and is successfully pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at all levels. In July 2020, Maxim Reshetnikov, Russian Minister of Economic Development, presented the country's first Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the implementation of the SDGs.
Russia has successfully eliminated hunger (SDG 2 “Zero Hunger”). In 2018, the prevalence of undernutrition was lower than the margin of statistical error (1,6 percent among adult population). At the same time, only 0,3 percent of the Russian population experienced acute food insecurity, and 6,2 percent experienced it moderately. The development of Russia’s potential in achieving SDG 2 has been facilitated by such factors as the development of rural infrastructure and the implementation of comprehensive sectoral strategic programmes, including the Doctrine for Food Security and vast tool set of support measures for agricultural producers.
The Russian Federation at a glance
According to the World Bank classification (2021–2022), Russia belongs to the group of upper-middle-income countries. Agriculture is one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the economy, and it almost fully meets the country’s needs in the majority of industrial agriculture segments.
Russia is completely self-sufficient in staple foods: grain and products of its processing, meat and fish products, sugar, oil, and other key foods. Domestic production of dairy products, vegetables and fruits already provides for a significant part of domestic consumption. The focus on export markets is becoming a priority for Russian agriculture. The Russian Federation is a leader in the export of grains, oil and fat products, fish and seafood. The export of industrial agriculture products amounted to USD 37.7 billion in 2021.
An important indicator of positive changes in the field of food security in Russia is a consistent normative policy. In January 2020, a new Food Security Doctrine was approved, which replaced the Doctrine of 2010. The concept of food security is understood the same way as accessibility and affordability of food that meets the requirements, including those of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), with a special focus on food sovereignty. The Doctrine takes into account the FAO's recommendations on maximum desired level of imports and stocks of food resources.
The World Bank [website]. URL: https://data.worldbank.org/country/russian-federation?view=chart
Agroexport statistics for 2021 [website]. URL: https://aemcx.ru/analytics/statistics/stat2021/ (available in Russian only)
Operational review of the export of industrial agriculture products (19.12.2021). Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. URL: https://mcx.gov.ru/upload/iblock/07e/07ead3e9aad3f434144873880281f133.pdf (available in Russian only)
Kulistikova, T. 2022. Exports of industrial agriculture products reached USD 37.7 billion last year. Agroinvestor. URL: https://www.agroinvestor.ru/analytics/news/37566-eksport-produktsii-apk-v-proshlom-godu-dostig-37-7-mlrd/ (available in Russian only)
Romashkin, R., Wadsworth, J., Watson II Derrill, D., Sorokin, P. Food Security in Eurasia 2020: Case Studies. ISBN 978-5-6045739-5-2.
Rudenko, M. 2021. Food security in Russia. Rudenko, M., Subbotina, Yu. Izvestia Sankt-Peterburgskogo gosudarstvennogo ekonomicheskogo universiteta [News of the St. Petersburg State University of Economics]. No. 1 (127). pp. 84–90.
Mikhailova, N. 2021. Legal and economic factors of ensuring food security in Russia (historical and legal aspect). Gosudarstvennaya sluzhba i kadry [State service and personnel]. No. 4. pp. 27–30.
Sharoshchenko, I. 2017. Food security in Russia: Modern understanding, measures of state regulation. Sharoshchenko, I., Cherkashina, A. Fundamentalnye issledovaniya [Fundamental research]. No. 8–2. pp. 458–463.
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 20 dated 21 January 2020 “On the approval of the Food Security Doctrine of the Russian Federation”.
Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1364-r dated 29 June 2016 “On the approval of the Strategy for improving food quality in the Russian Federation until 2030”
Regulation of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 717 dated 14 July 2012 “On the State programme for the development of agriculture and regulation of markets for agricultural products, raw materials and food”
FC FA Regulation No. 139-SF dated 14 April 2021 “On the progress of the implementation of the State programme for the development of agriculture and regulation of markets for agricultural products, raw materials and food”.
RIA Novosti [website]. URL: https://ria.ru/20220318/produkty-1778832359.html