The urban forum "Small Motherland - Strength of Russia" was redesigned by the organizers immediately after it was given annual status by presidential decree this year. The All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government (VARMSU) today launched the regional days of the forum in Moscow at a special event dedicated to agriculture. The senior speaker was the federal minister, Oksana Lott, who spoke with the heads of the authorities. Everyone in the hall had questions and suggestions for the minister, someone managed to voice them, the rest will be collected in a folder and delivered to Oksana Lut in the coming days, said Irina Guseva, co-chair of VARMSU and head of the Duma Committee on Regional Policy and Local Self-Government. This attention of the Federal Center for Dialogue with Municipalities is explained by the fact that agriculture is a central issue for local authorities, because today more than 50 million people live in rural areas and small towns. The Minister of Agriculture emphasized that the heads of the authorities are the ones who play a central role in the development of the rural areas. They know the needs of residents, are responsible for solving local problems, and help turn federal support into real change. At the same time, the standard of living in rural Russia increased significantly: over three years, the average wage grew by 53.5%. Co-Chair of VARMSU, Irina Guseva, emphasizes that rural areas are not the "back area", but the root system of the country. "Urban teams implement projects to develop rural tourism, create new jobs, involve young people in production and work for the benefit of their small homeland. Our task is to increase this experience: to turn the initiative of one municipality into a tool for the whole country, and the request of each head - the basis for systemic government support", said Irina Goseva.

The urban forum "Small Motherland - Strength of Russia" was redesigned by the organizers immediately after it was given annual status by presidential decree this year. The All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government (VARMSU) today launched the regional days of the forum in Moscow at a special event dedicated to agriculture. The senior speaker was the federal minister, Oksana Lott, who spoke with the heads of the authorities. Everyone in the hall had questions and suggestions for the minister, someone managed to voice them, the rest will be collected in a folder and delivered to Oksana Lut in the coming days, said Irina Guseva, co-chair of VARMSU and head of the Duma Committee on Regional Policy and Local Self-Government. This attention of the Federal Center for Dialogue with Municipalities is explained by the fact that agriculture is a central issue for local authorities, because today more than 50 million people live in rural areas and small towns. The Minister of Agriculture emphasized that the heads of the authorities are the ones who play a central role in the development of the rural areas. They know the needs of residents, are responsible for solving local problems, and help turn federal support into real change. At the same time, the standard of living in rural Russia increased significantly: over three years, the average wage grew by 53.5%. Co-Chair of VARMSU, Irina Guseva, emphasizes that rural areas are not the "back area", but the root system of the country. "Urban teams implement projects to develop rural tourism, create new jobs, involve young people in production and work for the benefit of their small homeland. Our task is to increase this experience: to turn the initiative of one municipality into a tool for the whole country, and the request of each head - the basis for systemic government support", said Irina Goseva.