Conference “Agrotourism in sustainable rural development”

SARUD project partners from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Czech Republic), as well as from Russian and Kazakh universities implementing the SARUD master`s program: the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, the State Agrarian Universities in Omsk, Michurinsk and Novosibirsk, the Buryat State Agricultural Academy (Russia); Kazakh Agro Technical University, the State Universities in Kostanay and Kokshetau (Kazakhstan) were invited to attend the conference and share experiences and scientific achievements in the area of rural development. 

The members of the Government of the Republic of Buryatia, People's Khural of the Republic of Buryatia, the representatives of the relevant Ministries of the Republic, municipal authorities, the association "The most beautiful villages in Russia", and the tourism industry of Buryatia took part in the conference as well. 

At the opening ceremony, the Head of the Republic of Buryatia Alexey Tsydenov delivered welcoming remarks, which were followed by keynote presentations by Alexander Merzlov (RSAU-MSAA named after K.A. Timiryazev, President of the Association “The most beautiful villages of Russia”), Alexander Popov (Chairman of the committee of Peoples Khural on land issues, agrarian policy and consumer market), Maria Badmatsyrenova (Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Buryatia), and Lyubov Plastinina (Director general of the LLC “Old Believers’Center”).

Problems and prospects of the sustainable agriculture and rural development in the Republic of Buryatia were presented and discussed. The participants of the conference agreed that there is an urgent need for diversification of rural economy, support for small-scale enterprises and development of alternative income-generating activities.