Regions Leading Ag Innovation in Russia Named
Rosselkhozbank and Fond Skolkovo have unveiled the Reiting innovatsionnosti regionov Rossii v APK (Innovation Ranking of Russian Regions in the Agro-Industrial Complex), with the Republic of Tatarstan, Voronezh Region and Moscow Region topping the list. The results highlight where agtech momentum is strongest in a sector increasingly shaped by digital platforms, automation and AI.
In recent years, innovation has become a central growth engine for Russia’s agro-industrial complex. As investment flows and digital tools reshape production models, industry stakeholders are looking closely at regional leaders that can serve as benchmarks and share scalable best practices.
Rosselkhozbank and Fond Skolkovo presented the third annual ranking of innovation performance across Russian regions in the agro-industrial complex. The study assessed 2025 indicators and analyzed 50 regions with the largest gross regional product in agriculture.
To calculate the composite index, analysts used 16 core metrics grouped into four pillars: Innovation, Industry Support Measures, Engagement with Young Specialists and Production Activity. This year, experts placed particular emphasis on the adoption of digital platforms and ecosystem tools designed for agribusiness.
“The ranking allowed us not only to identify best practices in the development and deployment of advanced technologies in the agro-industrial complex. The study also made it possible to assess how actively regional enterprises and authorities are engaged in adopting new technologies and to evaluate the effectiveness of support measures for innovative companies,” said Elena Baturova, Deputy Chair of the Management Board of Rosselkhozbank.
On February 19, Rosselkhozbank presented the results of the study. The top 10 Russian regions by innovation level were:
1. Republic of Tatarstan – 70.9%;
2. Voronezh Region – 63.9%;
3. Moscow Region – 58.0%;
4. Krasnodar Territory – 56.4%;
5. Novosibirsk Region – 55.8%;
6. Lipetsk Region – 55.3%;
7. Belgorod Region – 52.3%;
8. Sverdlovsk Region – 51.4%;
9. Penza Region – 50.9%;
10. Republic of Bashkortostan – 50.3%.
What the Leaders Have Achieved
The Republic of Tatarstan, Voronezh Region and Moscow Region secured the top three positions, reinforcing their status as core hubs of ag innovation. Moscow Region, ranked third overall, leads the country in the number of companies implementing digital solutions in agricultural businesses.
Across the region’s agro-industrial complex, robotics, automated systems and AI technologies are embedded in day-to-day operations. At the Cherkizovo Kashira plant, production follows the Industry 4.0 model, with robotic systems controlling the manufacturing cycle through integrated IT platforms.
At the Syrovar and Istrinskaya Syrovarnya enterprises, automated mechanisms are used during the cheese maturation process, improving consistency and reducing manual intervention.
EKO-Kultura in the Moscow Region operates a digital greenhouse platform that enables managers to monitor the condition of each plant, track the work of every employee and evaluate performance outcomes in real time.
Maslov Grupp, operating at the SPaK Kuzminsky facility in Sergiev Posad, has introduced domestic livestock innovations, including the smart cow collar Puls and the AI-powered herd management system Arka. Both are fully Russian-developed technologies.
“In the Moscow Region, we are actively implementing support mechanisms for agricultural producers and research initiatives, creating favorable conditions for innovation in the agrarian sector. Particular attention is given to digital services. Our enterprises are already applying automation and AI technologies directly in production processes. On our side, we are maintaining conditions that attract investment,” said Lyudmila Lisyatnikova, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Moscow Region.
From Ranking to Investment Signal
The ranking, which analyzes 50 leading regions, supports the inflow of IT solutions into agtech and helps channel investment into Russia’s agro-industrial complex. It demonstrates that rapid innovation growth in what was once a traditionally conservative sector is achievable when regional authorities actively support modernization.
“Implementing innovation in our sector is a long and complex process, particularly given its pronounced seasonality. Under such conditions, support from the state and development institutions becomes critically important for business. The regional innovation ranking allows us to objectively assess how engaged authorities are in addressing these strategic challenges for the agro-industrial complex,” said Andrey Beryulyaev, Head of Digitalization at EkoNiva-APK Holding.
Regions at the top of the ranking are effectively becoming testbeds for digital ag technologies that can later scale nationwide. Prepared by the country’s leading financial and innovation institutions, the ranking also raises international awareness of Russia’s digital agriculture capabilities. This visibility creates new opportunities to export agricultural IT solutions, particularly to countries with growing populations seeking to strengthen domestic food production.
