Mitrofanov Sergey Vladimirovich1, Orlova Nadezhda Vladimirovna1, Bogdanchikov Ilya Yurievich1, Savina Natalia Pavlovna2,3 and Shevchuk Artem Alexandrovich4
1 HSE University, Institute for Agrarian Studies, 109028, Moscow, Russia
2 Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, 109992, Moscow, Russia
3 The Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117418, Moscow, Russia
4 University of Land Use Planning, 105064, Moscow, Russia
Mitrofanov, S. V., Orlova, N. V., Bogdanchikov, I. Yu., Savina, N. P. & Shevchuk, A. A. (2026). Transition to sustainable agriculture in Russia: Problems of soil resources. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 32(3), 533–545
The article discusses the problem of transition to sustainable agriculture in Russia with a focus on the importance of soil resources. The analysis of the current challenges faced by Russia in the field of soil protection and improvement, including erosion, pollution, degradation and irrational use of agricultural chemicals, is carried out. A decrease in the reserves of basic nutrients in soils associated with insufficient use of mineral and organic fertilizers has been established. According to FAOSTAT, after the collapse of the USSR, there has been a downward trend in the intake of macronutrients into soils as part of organic fertilizers, due to a decrease in the number of cattle. The application of mineral fertilizers in the period of 1992–2021 also decreased significantly. Despite the introduction of a system of state subsidies, the level of fertilizer application remains extremely low compared to the Soviet period, which leads to gradual depletion of soils, decrease in potential crop yields and requires further strengthening of state support to ensure the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. Moreover, in a number of regions of the country is observed intensive use of pesticides which leads to pollution of agroecosystems. Territories that do not meet sanitary requirements are identified annually, while both the list of polluting pesticides and the area of contamination, as well as the list of subjects of the Russian Federation with contaminated territories, are changed.