The President’s festive schedule traditionally begins with an official tour. This year, he visited a dairy farm and fish breeding facilities at the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy — where he received his second higher education in economics. Of course, since his student years, the institution has received many modernisations to meet contemporary requirements. It has made a rapid breakthrough, as requested by the Belarusian President: agricultural education should keep abreast of the latest technologies.
Farms now boast advanced facilities so workers need to train appropriately and nothing is as effective as practical experience. Theory must be supplemented by practise, just as when learning a foreign language: acquiring grammar from a textbook is quite different from chatting with native speakers.
The Gorki Academy’s farm trains students in all areas. It has three types of farms — various in architecture — which are used in construction countrywide, as well as four varieties of milking parlour. Students can even share their knowledge with those working at the farms to which they are headed.
A three year course at similar centres in Europe costs around 8,000 Euros, as the technologies involved are quite expensive. Of course, such knowledge and skills are worth their weight in gold.
The fish breeding facilities seemed to impress the Belarusian President, being able to breed valuable fish species — such as trout - using new methods. Gorki also sells roe from its fish eggs: a delicious delicacy previously only imported. The situation may change soon, as one fish farm is already operating in the Mogilev Region, producing up to 300 tonnes annually. Three more are already under construction, with similar plans for other regions. Gorki is setting a good example, as Mr. Lukashenko told journalists.
He added, “There are good roads here and well-developed fields. I view this district as being important not only because of my personal recollections but because of its ability to benefit the area. Our achievements in the Gorki District should be replicated in each district. It’s an example, although there’s still much to do. There should be 30 cows per hundred hectares rather than the present 15. We’ll reach the necessary level in time. All the foundations are there and we have a well-developed, efficient scheme. The construction of contemporary farms has begun; we’ve built several, spreading our experience countrywide. Now, demonstrational districts are being created as examples for the country’s managers.”
The President sincerely advised Gorki residents on the festival stage to preserve what has been created in Gorki by the whole country, since each capital of Dazhynki is a national responsibility. We need to preserve all that is good while creating something new to guarantee future success, optimism and positive spirits. The desire to constantly improve one’s own life drives us forward.
The results are evident. The President noted, “Year on year, you continue to forge a shield of food security for your Fatherland, with eagerness and diligence. The results of the current harvesting campaign testify to our ability to cope with this task.”
Mr. Lukashenko asserted, “The agrarian branch can and should demonstrate rising volumes of production, as well as good profits. The mechanism of profitability has been long known, comprising reduced costs, sensible economics and a well-thought-out approach. We should understand once and for all that this is the basis of competitiveness for our agro-produce and the major path to enhancing our villagers’ welfare.”
He also tackled the merits of each region, outlining the most successful areas, and announced the names of those workers who have done especially well. His final comment was, “What can be said... Good job!” These words will remain in our souls. He emphasised, “Thank you for your hard-work. Believe me when I say that I am sincerely grateful for your labour, masters of the land. I bow low before you!”
