Konstantin Markelov: “Universities Should Become Centers of Training HR for All Sectors of Agro-Industrial Complex”

The rector of Astrakhan State University is taking part in the 2021 Global Food Forum which is being held at Moscow State University of Food Production, and has been a moderator of forum session “Scientific and Educational Testing Ground for Food Systems”.

In his opening speech, Konstantin Markelov mentioned a number of factors that are aggravating the issue of the ability of food systems to provide the population with food in sufficient quantities. According to the ASU rector, today it is clear that food systems must move to the production of varied, nutritious and safe food products, and to the provision of high-quality and healthy diets of adequate nutrition.

Participants of the session — representatives of government authorities, enterprises, higher educational institutions and organizations of the Russian Academy of Sciences — discussed such topical issues as priority areas of international scientific and educational cooperation in the agro-industrial complex and the formation of an infrastructure for their support, improving the quality of training specialists for the agro-industrial complex, digitalization of education, science and food industry, innovative technologies of the agro-industrial complex as the basis for the development of food systems, etc.

Within the framework of the forum, a number of agreements were also signed between Moscow State University of Food Production and other universities on networking implementation of educational programmes. Astrakhan State University has become one of the partners of Moscow State University of Food Production in this area.