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Tropentag, October 5 - 7, 2004 in Berlin

"Rural Poverty Reduction
through Research for Development and Transformation"


Development Possibilities for Farms in Tschuwaschia, Russian Federation

Svetlana Gundorina, Norbert Bleisteiner, Herbert Ströbel, Ralf Schlauderer

University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan, Department of Agriculture, Germany


Abstract


The situation of agricultural farms in the region of Tschuwaschia (Russia) is characterised by suboptimal production conditions, which lead to an unprofitable income situation, worsening of machinery equipment, bad staff motivation, lack of capital and increased debts. As an outcome of this development production decreased continuously in the last years. The demands of the population towards food could not be completed satisfied any longer.
The objective of the presented study is to analyse which obstacles and potentials for development exist in the region and which development and intensification potentials exist to increase productivity.
For the study a big agricultural cooperative willing to cooperate was chosen.. Primary data were collected by intensive interviews of the manager of the farm as well as by own data collection to create the demanded data base. Book keeping data were one of the major sources for secondary data collection. Additionally data of the ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tschuwaschia were used for the study.
For the analyses spread sheet calculations (Excel/Microsoft) as well as programs to calculate farm development plans and tools to define optimising enterprise strategies (MAX Ströbel, H. et al, FH-Weihenstephan) were used.
Cereal production was identified as major problem for profitability. The natural conditions allow relatively high yields, if soil preparation and cropping technology is adapted to the conditions. The yield level reached so far in the agricultural enterprises was only about 50% of the possible yield. The analyses showed, that bottlenecks exist for the use of means of production. The demanded increase in productivity can be reached by improvement of the use of means of production, such as seed, adapted modern technology, adapted fertiliser and pesticides. The conducted optimising calculations suggested, that the net profitability of the enterprise can be increased by three, if the improved use of means of productions is done. The investments also need to a highly increased cost-effectiveness of own capital (by 22,65 %, interest rate 7%).
The analyses proofed that investments in farms in the region can be profitable and lead to highly improved income situation as well as to an improved food supply.


Keywords: Farm development, food supply, Russian Federation, Tschuwaschia


Contact Address: Ralf Schlauderer, University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan, Department of Agriculture, Steingruberstraße 2, 91746 Weidenbach, Germany, e-mail: ralf.schlauderer@fh-weihenstephan.de


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