What does the hereditary agronomist and chairman of the district executive committee see as the development of the Rossony region?

– Vladimir Vladimirovich, you moved to Rasonschina from the neighboring Verkhnedvinsk district. In the month and a half since your appointment, have you grown fond of your new place?

– Yes. Rasonschina is a beautiful region of lakes and forests. I began my acquaintance, as it should be, with its history, which has many heroic and tragic pages. The geographical location of the current district center has determined its development and participation in significant historical events over the years. It was an outpost of the Principality of Polotsk.

During the Livonian War, at the confluence of the Nisch and Drissa rivers in 1566, the "Sokol" fortress was founded, the ramparts of which have survived to this day. Napoleon's troops marched through this territory towards Saint Petersburg and were stopped near the village of Klyastitsy. This battle was recorded in the annals of the War of 1812.

During the Great Patriotic War, Rasonschina heroically fought against the fascist invaders; this region was called a partisan region. But the losses were also great. The invaders destroyed about 4,000 people in three years, burned down more than a hundred villages, some with their inhabitants, and every third person did not return to their homeland. The pre-war population has never recovered, and the district to this day is considered the least populated in the Vitebsk region.

– You are a hereditary agriculturist. Both your grandfather and father managed agricultural enterprises. You graduated from the Belarusian Agricultural Academy, succeeded your father as director of the "Nurovo" farm, and for the last ten years worked as deputy chairman of the Verkhnedvinsk District Executive Committee, overseeing agricultural and food issues. One might say you are a professional in your field and can immediately see strengths and weaknesses. How do you assess the state of agriculture in the Rossony District and its prospects? What is profitable to do here, and what is not?

– Milk and meat production are profitable. It so happened that there are no large pig farming complexes in the Rossony region. There is a small workshop – the "Naftan" subsidiary farm, which the enterprise is transferring to the district's ownership. At the same time, investors were sought, and now the Chinese have shown interest. An enterprise has already been created, agreements have been signed, and I think this project will be implemented in the near future. This means direct foreign investment, new jobs, and taxes to the budget.

The only existing dairy complex in Selyavshchina requires modernization, which will be done in the near future. There was an idea to build another one in Klyastitsy, but unfortunately, due to a lack of funds, the work stopped. Only one building was completed, where young livestock is currently being raised. We need to improve the livestock, which will result in higher milk yields. It makes sense to focus on this in the future.

The remaining farms are small, but they fulfill their function. We will support them, especially since dairy production is the main profitable sector in agriculture. The products are in demand, and we need to take advantage of this. Today, the district produces a small amount – about 35 tons of milk per day; we will try to double this figure.

The primary task is to stabilize, provide employment for the population, and then seek investors for the construction of new modern complexes.

– And what direction do you consider important for crop production?

– Ensuring feed for livestock. Another vector in which we will develop, started earlier, is grass cultivation. Seed plots have been laid out in the district, various types of grasses are cultivated, and clover is grown. More than 70% of the Rossony region is occupied by forests, lakes, and swamps; the remaining 30% must be used with maximum benefit.

– How many agricultural enterprises are there in the district? Are they capable of working successfully? Are there any unprofitable ones among them?

– There are 5 agricultural enterprises in the district. It cannot be said that they are unprofitable; it is more accurate to define them as financially unstable. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, somewhere a good technical base has been created, but there are not enough machine operators, and somewhere it is the opposite. Therefore, for the period of main seasonal work, it is necessary to cooperate.

Today, during fodder harvesting, the "Selyavshchina" and "Raiagroservis" farms have united, and this has a positive impact on the results. Problems remain with the "Krasnopolye" agricultural enterprise; its neighbors from "Dvorishche-Ros" will help it when they finish their work. By the way, Krasnopolye is one of the largest settlements, with about a thousand inhabitants, and 44 people work on the farm. Some have left for Russia and found seasonal work.

– Perhaps because they didn't receive their wages?

– Wages are paid on time, but they are not high. It is important that a person knows that their wages depend on the labor invested. Someone milks twice as much milk but receives the same as others. It is necessary to differentiate payment and motivate people.

The work of a peasant is hard and seasonal; sometimes one has to work from dawn till dusk. But a person should also receive a decent reward for it: one rate for the norm, another for exceeding it, at an increased tariff. This was discussed with the heads of agricultural enterprises. It is necessary to restore people's trust; it is better for them to live with their families in their native homes and be confident in the future.

– The industrial sector of the Rossony district relies on private enterprises. What kind of relationship do you establish with entrepreneurs?

– Rossony has never been an industrial center. There were several production facilities, including a brick factory and a milk processing workshop, but they are now closed. Business primarily relies on what the region is rich in, and that is timber. Timber processing is carried out by the forestry enterprise and several private companies.

The non-state sector needs to be developed, and not only in the field of woodworking. If you look closely, many private companies have grown due to the potential created before them. Most managers held responsible positions, meaning they received education and gained experience at the state's expense. And quite a few employees of private enterprises received professional training at state-funded institutions.

At a meeting with entrepreneurs, we agreed that the authorities would provide all possible support to businesses, but they must also help the district. We found complete mutual understanding on this issue.

The absence of large industrial production can also be considered an advantage. There are 192 lakes in the district, and Necherdo is considered the third largest in Belarus. The nature is unique!

– Can business be done on this as well?

– Of course! And there are many opportunities here. We need to more actively utilize our location. Tourist flows from north to south (the main direction is Minsk – Saint Petersburg) pass through our territory. I observe how many buses stop not only in Klyastitsy, located on the highway, but also in Rossony. Some stay overnight. However, for now, we have little to offer our guests. In the district center, the "House with a Hundred Windows," built at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, has been preserved. It needs to be put in order and opened for visits, to create a museum there.

The former estate of landowner Glazko is located on the shore of a picturesque lake, and the house, resembling a medieval castle, is very attractive to tourists. Income can also be generated from the sale of souvenirs and handicrafts.

Many hunters and fishermen come to these places. Why not offer them various excursion programs? This means that the potential of the tourism industry is not fully utilized.

– What benefits can be derived from the proximity to Russian regions?

– The closest neighbors – Nevelsky and Sebezhsky districts – are also ecologically clean, so we are trying to jointly preserve the unique character of these border territories. Russian business is showing interest in Rossony, although not very actively.

Russians have bought several recreation centers, which means additional jobs have been created and unused facilities are being revived.

From our side, we have something to offer investors, not only Russian ones. This includes peat extraction, midge larvae harvesting, creation of recreation centers, and other business areas. In particular, based on the former brick factory, an enterprise for the production of peat-based nutrient soils could be established.

– The Rossony district was positioned as a center for agroecotourism. Does this sphere have prospects?

– We considered this issue at a recent session. It is necessary to find new ways to attract tourists. In addition to village holidays, we should add excursions and bike or horseback riding trips. I believe there is a certain stagnation in this area of activity.

– Many districts have their own brand: in Glubokoye, it's the cherry fest; in Sharkovshchina, it's the apple fest; in Rossony, there was once the Zaborye fest. What can replace it and become a distinctive sign of the region?

– In this regard, many have outpaced us. I have wondered why mushroom and fishing festivals are held in Polotsk and not here. We don't want to repeat ourselves. We are thinking about it.

Tatyana Pasternak. Photos by Anton Stepanishchev. "Vitebskiye vesti".