Belarus plans to reconstruct over 70,000 hectares of reclaimed systems in 2023

Presidential Decree No. 26 of February 7th, 2023 approved the state investment programme for 2023. The Development of Reclamation of Agricultural Land subprogramme of the Agrarian Business state programme for 2021-2025 envisages the reconstruction of drainage, combined irrigation systems and the main structures of reclamation and water management systems. It is intended to allocate Br83m+ for these purposes. Director of the Land Reclamation Institute at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Aleksandr Anzhenkov told the sb.by portal which objects will first receive state funding.

“Approximately 35 percent of the country’s agricultural lands are reclaimed lands. Due to the fact that reclamation systems are maintained in good condition, more than a third of the country's agricultural produce can be obtained in these territories. These areas, a significant part of which are meadows, produce more than 60 percent of all green fodder which is key to large milk production – one of the components of success in animal husbandry. That’s why it is necessary to maintain meliorative systems in a satisfactory condition in order to ensure food security, exports, and create good living and working conditions for people in almost 40 percent of the country’s territory”

On behalf of the Head of State, this year, the scope of work has been significantly intensified. It is planned to reconstruct more than 70,000 hectares of reclamation systems. The rest – more than 2.5 million hectares – to maintain, i.e., to mow, clean channels, and repair structures.

Reclaimed lands, which occupy from 8 percent in the Shklov District and up to 74 percent in the Gantsevichi District, are found across all regions of Belarus.

“Over 50 percent of agricultural lands was drained across 23 districts, mostly in the Brest and Gomel regions. Land reclamation for them is the basis of the entire agro-industrial complex. But it cannot be said that somewhere the work on reconstruction and maintenance of systems will be more concentrated. Wherever it is necessary, we will make efforts,” Aleksandr Anzhenkov underlined.