SPIEF: Mordovia and Rosselkhozbank Expand "Organic Food for Children" Project
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 4, Artem Zdunov, Head of Mordovia, and Boris Listov, Chairman of the Management Board of Rosselkhozbank, signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at developing organic agriculture, supporting domestic organic producers, and fostering a healthy eating culture. Specifically, this concerns the expansion of the "Organic Food for Children" project.
Mordovia is currently among the top ten regions in the country in terms of the number of certified organic producers. Eight organic producers operate in the region, and the state support system provides additional incentives for businesses that have achieved the appropriate certification.
The "Organic Food for Children" project was launched last year at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. This is the first such project in Russia, and it aimed to introduce organic dairy products into the diets of preschool-aged children. Since September, products from the Children's Food Station have been supplied to 63 kindergartens in Saransk, reaching over 15,000 children. The memorandum signed today expands the "Organic Food for Children" project to include elementary school students, reaching over 28,000 additional children.
"The "Organic Food for Children" project is vital for our republic. It not only improves children's health and prevents diseases, but also fosters a culture of healthy eating," emphasized Artyom Zdunov. "It is crucial for us that children in educational institutions receive nutritious meals. At the same time, the project's implementation will create additional incentives for the development of organic production in the republic. Together with our reliable partner, Rosselkhozbank, we will be able to take the project to the next level and make it accessible to even more of our children."
"Developing the organic food market and introducing organic products into schoolchildren's diets is an investment in the health of our children, the sustainability of rural areas, and the competitiveness of the domestic agricultural sector. Mordovia is already demonstrating successful experience in combining the efforts of government, business, and science." "We hope that the projects being implemented in the region will serve as an example for other regions of the country and will help establish new standards of quality of life," noted Boris Listov, Chairman of the Management Board of Rosselkhozbank.
Rosselkhozbank is a key financial partner for the agro-industrial complex of Mordovia. Since the bank's launch in the region, it has invested over 204 billion rubles in the republic's economy, nearly 178 billion of which went to the agro-industrial complex. The bank has supported 263 investment projects worth nearly 39 billion rubles. The agreement signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum marks another step in strengthening the partnership between Rosselkhozbank and the Republic of Mordovia and will allow the parties to pool their resources to implement projects aimed at developing the domestic agro-industrial complex, improving the quality of life, and promoting a culture of consuming high-quality Russian products.
Source: Press Service of the Head of the Republic of Mordovia