Agrarian policy in the context of geopolitical transformation: import substitution as an engine of modernization of the Russian agro-industrial complex

the geopolitical shifts of the last decade, especially after 2022, have radically changed the context of the functioning of the Russian agro-industrial complex. Previously, import substitution was perceived as a necessary, short-term measure. Today, it has transformed into a strategic impetus for the deep modernization of the industry. This article analyzes how the sanctions pressure and the disruption of the usual logistics chains have become not a brake, but a catalyst for structural changes in the agro-industrial complex. The author examines the evolution of the state agrarian policy – from a focus on increasing production volumes to a new paradigm focused on increasing profitability and technological sovereignty. Special attention is paid to practical support measures: from preferential loans and customs preferences to an unprecedented increase in subsidies for elite seed production (up to 50% of costs) and livestock breeding. The article analyzes changes in the legislative framework, including the updated 2020 Food Security Doctrine and the reform of the subsidy system, which entered into force in 2024, which combined 14 areas of support into one, with an emphasis on cost compensation rather than stimulating gross performance. Import substitution has ceased to be just a survival tool. It has become a mechanism forcing the industry to solve chronic problems: dependence on foreign seeds, breeding stock and agrochemistry. The author concludes that under conditions of external pressure, the state was able to consolidate efforts and direct resources to create a sustainable, technologically independent model of agricultural development capable of not only providing the domestic market, but also strengthening Russia's export potential.

agricultural policy, import substitution, modernization of agriculture, government regulation, food security, sanctions pressure, government support, preferential loans, subsidies, scientific and technological progress, agro-industrial complex