How VR Field Trips Are Growing the Next Generation of Agricultural Talent
Students in the agrotechnology class at Novoselenginskaya School in the Republic of Buryatia explored how a modern pig farming complex operates without leaving their classroom.
The students took part in an unusual VR field trip and virtually visited an East Siberian pig complex. They observed how veterinarians and livestock specialists work and explored modern animal feeding systems. This is not just a novelty. In practice, it is a step toward training a new generation of agricultural professionals who may choose to stay and work in their home communities.
This VR initiative in Buryatia is part of a broader federal program. In September 2025, the region officially launched its first specialized agrotechnology classes. “This is not just a new classroom, it is a pathway to the future for our children and for the entire agricultural sector of Buryatia,” said Amgalan Darmaev, Deputy Chairman of the Government and Minister of Agriculture and Food of Buryatia.
Novoselenginskaya School received advanced equipment that reflects real-world agricultural practice, including digital microscopes, weather stations, drone programming kits, and even hydroponic systems. Teachers in these classes receive an additional 30,000 rubles per month (approximately $320). That signals a serious push by the state to make agricultural careers more attractive.
Making Learning Inspiring
Why the urgency? According to Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture, the agricultural sector needs around 160,000 new workers each year, while the workforce shortage in rural areas reaches 40%. Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut has repeatedly said that staffing is directly tied to food security:
“Objectively, Russia’s agricultural sector is an economic success story. In just a few years, it has grown significantly and become a key part of the economy. We feed not only ourselves but also export to 160 countries. The main task now is workforce development. We need to actively bring young people into agriculture and make learning inspiring so they choose to work in the sector.”
That explains why the country plans to open 18,000 agrotechnology classes by 2030. The Buryatia project offers a clear example. Regional authorities have already set a goal to run similar VR field trips in all 12 agrotechnology classes across the republic.
From Growing Herbs to Running Farms
Novoselenginskaya School began building its agricultural track back in 2022. Students started winning competitions such as “AgroNTR.” Teacher Elena Kruglova described how students grow seedlings in school labs during winter, then use those crops in the cafeteria or sell them at local fairs in summer. In effect, the foundation for the program developed organically, grounded in hands-on experience.
A turning point came in September 2025, when the class officially became an agrotechnology program. It also received advanced equipment, from robotics kits to weather stations. Now comes the next step: VR. Students can walk through a real enterprise in a virtual environment. The progression is clear, from growing parsley on a windowsill to managing a virtual farm.
In 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations held a dedicated webinar on using augmented and virtual reality in agricultural education. One example showed how veterinary students practice on virtual animals before working with real ones. What is happening in Novoselenginsk aligns with this broader shift toward immersive learning, where technology makes complex production processes visible and safe to explore.
The Agronomist With a Joystick
The labor shortage in agriculture is driving new approaches. VR helps show that today’s agronomist may also be a drone operator and an IT specialist. That expands how students see their future. The Buryatia case has strong potential to scale.
Next steps could include full simulation environments, from virtual surgery for veterinarians to managing fleets of harvesters with a joystick and modeling crop yields in digital fields. Regional authorities say they have allocated 45 million rubles (approximately $480,000) to launch these classes. The goal is clear: graduates should move directly into real production roles. This reflects a seamless education model linking school, college or university, and industry.
In a few years, Russian students may do more than watch videos about tractors. With VR, they can learn how to repair them before ever getting their hands dirty.
