The 7th All-Russian Forum of Schools-Farms and Agricultural Schools of Russia, "Agricultural School – a Territory of Friendship and Knowledge: A Model of Multicultural Education in Rural Areas," has opened at Derzhavin Tambov State University.
The organizers were: the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), the Association of Schools-Farms and Agricultural Schools of Russia, the Narodnoe Obrazovanie Publishing House, the School Cluster Association (SCA), the Government of the Tambov Region, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Tambov Region, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Tambov Region, and Derzhavin Tambov State University. Tatanovo Secondary School, the SeDeK-Domodedovo research and production enterprise, leading technology partner companies, and others are participating in the forum. More than 350 representatives from 51 regions of Russia and China are participating, including representatives of the Russian Ministry of Education, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the Russian Academy of Sciences, education authorities, university representatives, directors of RAS basic schools, teachers, students, as well as business partners and technology companies.
"Today, an agroschool is not just a place for learning, but a center for social integration, preserving the cultural code, and developing a talent pool for the country's agro-industrial complex. The Tambov Region is proud to offer a working, proven model of continuous agribusiness education to the federal agenda," said Galina Shemanaeva, Deputy Head of the Tambov Region. "I am confident that the forum will become a catalyst for new effective solutions for the sustainable development of rural areas and the strengthening of Russia's national civic identity."
The forum's main goal is to design and scale a unified ecosystem for multicultural agricultural education. It combines classical traditions of labor education, cutting-edge digital technologies, and best teaching practices to ensure the human and technological sovereignty of the country's agro-industrial complex. Key events of the forum include a strategic plenary session, "Integration of Science, Business, and Education: Strategic Guidelines for the Development of Agricultural Classes and Agricultural Schools in Russia," as well as a series of expert discussions and thematic sections.
"As one of the key universities in the Black Earth Region, we view this forum as a strategic development tool. Our goal is to unite schools, science, and business into a single system where teachers exchange practices in running educational and experimental farms, and Russian scientists help integrate innovations directly into the educational process," emphasized Nikolai Karev, Vice Rector for Strategic Development at Derzhavin University. "It's worth noting that Derzhavin University offers training in a variety of fields, encompassing not only social sciences but also a wide range of engineering specialties." This is how we build a talent pool: students who understand complex biotechnology from their school days become chief engineers at large agricultural companies, heads of farmer unions, and researchers who ensure the country's food security for years to come after graduating.
Together with experts, participants will discuss the development of school farms, the implementation of agricultural engineering and digital innovation, healthy nutrition, and the development of effective early career guidance mechanisms. Highlights of the agenda include a showcase of the best school agricultural projects, the first-ever "AgroNavigator" gathering of agricultural class activists to develop youth competencies, and the interregional gastronomic festival "Taste of the Region," designed to unite cultural traditions and showcase the potential of local producers.
The second day of the 7th All-Russian Forum of School Farms and Agricultural Schools of Russia will be held at Tatanovo Secondary Comprehensive School in the village of Kuksovo, Tambov Municipal District. The organizers will hold a culinary masterclass titled "Asian Dishes from Tambov Vegetables," a contact fair titled "Cultural Crop Rotation," an international session titled "Dialogue between Russia and China on the Development of Agricultural Schools," and more. It's worth noting that the forum will also host the first All-Russian Children's Forum of Agricultural Schools of Russia, "Agroforum – a Territory of Friendship and Knowledge. Bringing Agricultural Technologies to Life."
This traditional annual forum of agricultural schools and schools in Russia has been held since 2020. Since then, it has grown from a local initiative into a key industry event. The movement's history began in 2014 with the idea of combining the efforts of science, business, and schools to create a vibrant, practice-oriented educational environment.
