Implementation of the UN sustainable development goals in the agri-food system of Russia: regional and sectoral features

ABSTRACT

The article views regional and sectoral peculiarities of Agenda-2030 realization in Russian agricultural sector. The aim of the research was to determine the degree of the SDGs achievement in agribusiness on national, regional and local levels in the absence of quantitative markers. Based on the conclusion on insufficient integration of the SDGs in business strategies, we proposed the six-staged scheme to promote and realize the SDGs in national agri-food system, involving all the parties concerned. In the course of the scheme realization, we conducted the survey among the representatives of agribusiness from 26 regions, located in four agro-climatic zones of Stavropolskii krai. The results provided quantitative assessment of the SDGs awareness degree in agri-food sphere and demonstrated its low level. Also, we managed to get information on the goals of high priority for the experts (SDGs 8, 3, 6, 4, 11, 7, 9 and 16) and distinguish the importance of social, economic and ecological problems, which prevent the SDGs realization in agricultural sector and rural areas. The problems of negative impact of climatic changes, rise in price for goods and services, limited resources for the production improvement and innovation turned out to be the major ones in the view of the experts. The main result of the research consists in providing the quantitative data and determination of the priority areas for the sustainable development in the regional agricultural sector, with the aim of further transformation of the policy to achieve the SDGs.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainable development
• sustainable development goals
• agri-food system
• agricultural sector
• sustainable agriculture
• agribusiness
• regional development

Acknowledgments

The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-010-00375.

We sincerely thank the dedicated farmers and partners for their time and cooperation during the project. Special thanks to the reviewer and editors for valuable reference and a useful comment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).