The new "Leaders of the Agro-Industrial Complex" competition has launched
The "Russia – Land of Opportunity" presidential platform has launched a new competition for agricultural leaders, "Leaders of the Agro-Industrial Complex." The competition, co-organized by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, was launched as part of the "Golden Autumn 2025" agricultural exhibition. The application process will be open on the competition website until November 9.
The "Leaders of the Agro-Industrial Complex" competition, launched by order of the President of the Russian Federation on July 16, 2025, and aimed at identifying and supporting promising leaders in the agricultural sector, was presented to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut at the "Golden Autumn 2025" agricultural exhibition. Andrey Betin, CEO of the presidential platform "Russia – Land of Opportunity," told the Prime Minister that the competition is based on the best practices and methodology of the country's largest management competition, "Leaders of Russia."
"Indeed, the 'Leaders of Russia' project, which was launched several years ago at the initiative of our President, has proven its importance. Thousands of students who graduated from this school reached the finals and are now in demand in public service, including, I know, some of them working in the agro-industrial complex. I wish the new 'Leaders of Agro-Industrial Complex' competition success," said Mikhail Mishustin.
Oksana Lut emphasized the strategic importance of training personnel for the sustainable development of the agro-industrial complex.
"Today, at the President's direction, we, together with the 'Russia – Land of Opportunity' platform, launched a new competition, 'Leaders of Agro-Industrial Complex.' Its goal is to find and support ambitious and promising managers in a wide range of fields – from agricultural science and education to business and public administration." "To open broad opportunities for self-realization for those who are ready to take responsibility and lead others," said Oksana Lut.
"Eight years ago, at the initiative of President Vladimir Putin, the 'Leaders of Russia' competition was launched. It has proven its effectiveness as a social lift and has become a platform for identifying the country's strongest managers. We are now scaling this experience across key economic sectors. In May of this year, at a meeting of the platform's Supervisory Board, Vladimir Putin instructed us to hold a competition for promising agricultural leaders. This is how the 'Leaders of the Agro-Industrial Complex' project was born. Today, agriculture is defined by high technology, digital transformation, and strong teams. We will be looking for leaders capable of managing complex IT projects, implementing unmanned technologies, and building effective business processes. We are open not only to those in the fields, but also to scientists, developers, logisticians—everyone whose work is related to the development of the agro-industrial complex. Our main goal is to create a functioning system of human resource sovereignty that begins with the village. We are fully prepared for the launch and are confident that the "Agro-Industrial Complex Leaders" will become a powerful driver of development for the entire industry," noted Andrey Betin.
The competition is open to managers aged 18 and over with at least two years of management experience and experience in the agro-industrial complex, including relevant scientific fields. The competition consists of the following stages: participant registration, a remote round, a computerized test, and a final round. Participation in the project is open not only to Russian citizens but also to foreigners.
The winners will undergo training for senior managers in the agro-industrial complex under a unique educational program at the Senezh Management Workshop, and all finalists will have the opportunity to participate in a mentoring program with leading agro-industrial complex managers.
The national project "Technological Support for Food Security" helps train specialists for the agro-industrial complex. The goal is to staff 95% of agricultural enterprises by 2030. The national project actively recruits young professionals under 35, as well as experienced employees with over five years of experience in the agricultural sector. This is facilitated by additional support for students, university staff, and research institutes. With the support of the national project, agricultural technology classrooms are being established in schools and equipped with the necessary equipment. Teachers and professors at agricultural universities participating in the development of key agricultural projects receive additional payments.