INNOVATION AND INVESTMENT PROCESSES IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AS A FACTOR TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY IN RUSSIA

The distinguishing feature of the current situation in the Russian agro-industrial complex is the troubling fact that domestic food production is insufficient while all needed resources are available. In this connection such issues as analysis of specific trends and prospects of food security as well as development and improvement of innovation and investment processes in the Russian agricultural sector are becoming especially relevant. These issues are addressed in this article with reference to the study carried out by the authors in 2012-2013. They used such sources as fundamental and applied research works by Russian and foreign specialists in the field of food security and recent publications on innovation and investment activities in the agro-industrial sector. The calculations were performed on the base of data from the Russian Statistical Yearbook. The work builds on systemic analysis methods. The study highlights the urgency of research on food security within the context of stepping up innovation and investment efforts in the agro-industrial complex. It reports data on the state of agricultural science, the dynamics of investment in research and development in this area as well as investigates into the status of material and technical base of agro-industrial complex and the level of investments in its renovation. The authors reveal some existing barriers to effective investment and innovation. They suggest mechanisms for creating conditions to attract investments in the innovation-oriented development of the sector and show that this is an efficient way to increase food self-sufficiency in Russia. The outcomes of the study can be useful for Russian authorities engaged in economic development of the agricultural sector and for analysts devising food security strategies under the conditions of a globalized world economy.

food security, agro-industrial complex, investments, innovation, innovation and investment activities

1. Turchin A. War and another 25 doomsday scenarios. — Moscow: Publishing House «Europe «, 2008.— 320 pages (in Russian).

2. Ushachev I.G. Food security is a key task for the Russian economy. / / Herald OrelGAU.— 2008.— № 5.— pp. 5–10 (in Russian).

3. Statistical Yearbook of Russia. 2013 Electronic Edition URL: http://www.gks.ru/ wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ ru/statistics / publications / catalog / doc_ (in Russian).

4. Serbinovskiy B. Yu., Rudick E.V. Monitoring of labor productivity: Monograph.— Novocherkassk: Lik, 2010.— 260 pages (in Russian).

5. The strategy of innovative development of the Russian Federation for the period until 2020. — Moscow: Russian Ministry of Economic Development, 2010.

6. The strategy for innovative development of agriculture of the Russian Federation up to 2020 (draft) (in Russian).

7. Geraschenkova T.M. Theoretical aspects of innovative investment activities // Proceedings of the Sochi State University. — 2013. — № 4–1 (27). — pp. 55–62 (in Russian).

8. Nabiullina K.P., Nazarov D.V. The main directions of the state policy in the field of regulation of innovation and investment activities in the Russian Federation: Innovation and Investment| URL: http:// www.uecs.ru/uecs-25–252010/item/300– 2011–03–25–08–15–59 (date of access 12.09.2013) (in Russian).