The Interagency Working Group has been established pursuant to Presidential Decree 1142 dated Sept. 20, 2010 at the Presidential Commission for the Implementation of Priority National Projects and Demographic Policy.

First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov has been appointed as the head of the group. The group's main tasks are to analyse practices of implementing the Priority National Project, and to assess and improve the instruments and mechanisms used.

The group's composition, approved by Presidential Executive Order 190-rp dated March 28, 2011, includes the heads of federal and regional executive and legislative bodies, representatives of trade unions, scientists and businesspeople.

"The group must focus on activities aimed at meeting the National Agro-Industrial Complex (AIC) Development Project's eight basic aggregate targets," Zubkov said while opening the meeting.

These indicators are agricultural output, livestock products output, crop production output, physical investment volume in basic agricultural assets, rural household disposable resources, the renewal rate of primary agricultural machinery, energy supply to agricultural associations and labour productivity.

"It is necessary to concentrate on solving specific issues to radically modernise the AIC by introducing resource-saving and energy-efficient technologies, cutting costs along the food chain, increasing agricultural producers' financial stability and increasing investments," Zubkov said. "This will make it possible to boost the AIC's competitiveness and provide the population with domestically produced food on a sustainable basis on the level determined by the Food Security Doctrine."

"I authorise the Agriculture Ministry until May 20 to complete and submit the AIC Development Priority National Project's approved indicators for 2011-2013," Zubkov said.

The group's members believe that in determining the indicators, the Agriculture Ministry should assess the effectiveness of measures carried out in 2010 to stipulate concrete measures for 2011-2013 and eliminate the lag in areas that slowed down in 2010.

"The Interagency Working Group will pay particular attention to training personnel for the agro-industrial complex, and the comprehensive social development of rural territories, and improving rural life, including as part of the Sustained Development of Rural Territories Concept," Zubkov concluded.