They say that land reclamation is an endless process. Once you pause, nature instantly takes over. In the new episode of BelTA's YouTube project "After the Fact: Lukashenko's Decisions” we will explore why Belarusians are called ‘people of the marshes'. What does the president consider to be the sacred duty of the state? Was the land reclamation worth the effort?
When did land reclamation begin in Belarus
It is difficult to establish the date when the first attempt at land reclamation was made in Belarus. There is evidence that estates were built on drained lands in Polesie in the second half of the 18th century. In the 1860s, the Gorki agricultural academy began to study the swamps draining technology. In Soviet times, the academy hosted the Soviet Union Institute of Wetland Economy. Serious work began in the 1970s and continued for almost two decades. In terms of scale and significance for Belarus, the project can be compared with the electrification program of the USSR.
“That was the best project of the Soviet government in the history of Belarus. They did the right thing. Some say that ‘the Soviet government did it wrong by interfering into the nature of Polesie, by draining swamps'. But these speculations are tantamount to the scaremongering about the Chernobyl consequences. These speculations were started by those who do not need cheap competitive products that can be produced on reclaimed lands,” Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he visited the Polesie Agrokombinat in Pinsk District in 2004.
The president decided NOT to give up on the lands that can be reclaimed. Taking into account new knowledge, technologies and personnel qualifications, the country is well-equipped to achieve the results that were impossible in Soviet times. The Law on Land Reclamation came into force in 2008. The state began to allocate money, to study advanced foreign developments and purchase special-purpose equipment.
“This is one of the focuses of the state program that we have approved.We will finance it. This is a matter of national importance. We will revive the enterprises that were engaged in land reclamation. But in places where lands were reclaimed, the enterprises will be expected to maintain canals, systems and fields properly. You already know me well. I will not allow the areas that have been reclaimed at the time of my presidency to be overgrown with weeds and trees. This is, by the way, what is happening to some of canals. Work to clean them up is in progress,” Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during the on-site nationwide workshop on the State Program for the Revival and Development of Rural Communities for 2005-2010 in Drogichin in 2005.
How reclaimed land is used in Belarus
Today, reclaimed land accounts for 37% of all farmland. This is almost 3 million hectares. Most of them are in Brest Oblast, Vitebsk Oblast, Gomel Oblast and Minsk Oblast. In other words, these lands produce more than a third of agricultural products, including more than half of the fodder for animal husbandry. Had we not used this land we wouldn't have produced so much meat and milk.
“The decision to maintain the reclamation industry in good shape is the only way forward for the Republic of Belarus. This is not only about food security. It is also about the social sector, jobs, roads, and communications. Crop production is the cornerstone of animal husbandry, which gives the country an opportunity to increase the export. Keeping the land reclamation industry intact is crucial for economic development and prosperity in many parts of the country,” said Aleksandr Anzhenkov, Director of the Institute of Land Reclamation of the NASB Center for Arable Farming.
“Swamps covered 80% of area in Polesie, including Pinsk District and Stolin District of Brest Oblast. Today this region has some of the country's most successful farms. One of them is Parokhonskoye farm that has 24,000 hectares of land. This farm has its own reclamation equipment and systems. Thanks to land reclamation, Brest Oblast has turned from a depressed region into one of the country's most prosperous ones,” said Sergei Nazaruk, Head of the Land Reclamation and Radiology Department of the Investments, Construction and Land Reclamation Directorate of the Agriculture and Food Ministry.
This explains why we need land reclamation and why the president demands that every piece of land be used. The president knows the specifics of the process from his own experience, as he worked on land reclamation as a student.
“This kind of work was not very common. As far as I remember, we worked in Klimovichi District... It was a great experience. I know land reclamation well. <...> Agriculture is developing and I am glad that more farmland is needed. We should reclaim land using our experience and approach the whole process smartly (not like it was before, when land reclamation was indiscriminate). We need to reclaim what we had and reconvert another several thousand hectares into productive use... Land reclamation was a good experience,” the president said as he met with the youth in June 2023.
Development of Belarus' land reclamation complex
The country has preserved the reclamation infrastructure, engineering companies, a research institute, qualified personnel, and the necessary equipment. Amkodor-KEZ is the only enterprise in Belarus and the post-Soviet space that produces land reclamation machines, excavators, trenchers, bulldozers, etc.
“We decided to restore all reclamation systems and embark on a large-scale reclamation effort. Now we have the necessary experience, including technology and price calculation algorithms for reclamation works,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Kaliningrad Oblast Governor Nikolai Tsukanov in 2014. “You are welcome to tap into this experience. We can help with equipment and share our best practices, because land reclamation is crucial for agriculture in Kaliningrad Oblast.”
“Belarus and Russia have a long history of scientific partnerships. The two countries have similar soils. Some Russian scientists hail from Belarus. We also cooperate with other republics. Personal meetings and conferences with representatives of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan are held. We cooperate with these republics on subsufrace drainage, polymers, and diagnostics,” Aleksandr Anzhenkov said.
The National Academy of Sciences has preserved the Institute of Land Reclamation. This institute provides scientific support for land reclamation works.
“The work that our specialists are doing is meant to reclaim land for agricultural use. This work is complex and hard. Today, about 6,500 units of machinery are used to improve the state of land. Following the instructions of the head of state, we are upgrading our equipment. We purchase equipment with a bigger capacity and better quality,” Sergei Nazaruk said.
What resources does the state allocate for land reclamation?
In 2021, more than Br200 million was allocated from the budget for land reclamation measures in the country. It was nearly Br300 million last year. The sum almost doubled for 2023. The country has invested tremendous efforts and funds into land reclamation. The head of state has repeatedly spoken about this. It is not just about wetland drainage, but also about the farming culture in general. Without proper order and discipline, one will quickly get bogged down in mismanagement.
“Mismanagement cases are still identified in every region of the country. I should say however that I am convinced that all the mobile construction companies know how to do their work properly. Then do it. Mobilize people. You will accomplish nothing without iron discipline and order. You cannot make people work for nothing. People should be paid for their work. They should be both paid well and offered necessary assistance. People are ready to work for good money. However, the poor use of reclaimed lands is the height of mismanagement,” the president once again called for a proper attitude to reclaimed lands during his working trip to Tolochin District in November 2022.
“What's special about the land reclamation industry is scale. It covers the entire country. Every district in the country has reclaimed lands. The main difficulty related to land reclamation is the need for equipment, resource-saving technologies to maintain the systems. The head of state's instructions are to reclaim 110 hectares of land in the coming years,” Aleksandr Anzhenkov said.
What technologies are used in land reclamation?
Land reclamation is not only about wetland drainage. The sector assimilates new technologies to contribute to water conservation. For example, a new project has been launched in Pinsk District this year to reconstruct the drainage system and transform it into a combined irrigation system. The idea is to preserve moisture in the fields and use it when precipitation is insufficient. Experts plan to retain moisture and use it when it is needed with the help of special wells built in front of rivers and large canals of land reclamation systems.
“The money earmarked for land reclamation should be spent efficiently. These territories need to be monitored on a regular basis. We need to do everything right, so that our children do not have to start this work from the very beginning. There must be iron discipline. We must maintain order here. These lands are of great importance,” the head of state said during his working trip to Vetka District in April 2023.
“Initially, Belarus had 8 million hectares of wetlands. Those were not only the lands that were out of economic use but also neglected lands. The reclamation of 3 million hectares helped the country ensure food security, increase exports, secure socially acceptable standards of living,” Aleksandr Anzhenkov said.
You can turn a wetland into a land of great opportunities. However, it always takes an effort to find a solid ground.