Russia's agricultural production suffered a severe transition decline between 1990 and 1998, when it bottomed out at 57% of the level in 1990 (in constant prices). A slow recovery began after 1998 and by 2005 agricultural production had reached 75% of the 1990 level. In order to further revitalize crop production, ISTC project #3768 is currently developing and implementing integrated pest management technologies as well as improving soil substrates to increase yields.

The institutes have been working together since the beginning of the project to establish regional centers of expertise, which will provide consulting services and laboratory analyses to farmers in their regions. Currently, through the project, the Krasnodar Research Institute for Biological Protection is establishing technical consulting services for farmers through the website www.agrocs.ru, which will become operational in support of the upcoming crop season.

The project also seeks to provide a lasting impact in the sector by establishing a sustainable revenue stream that will allow the regional centers to continue to serve as centers providing commercial consulting for the agricultural community in Russia following the conclusion of the project. Both institutes, Kransnodar and in Golitsyno, will remain integral members of this community taking into account their inherent technical competencies as well as knowledge, through the project, in developing integrated approaches to increasing long-term crop productivity.

Project #3768 was made possible through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Technical collaboration on the project, on behalf of DOE, is being provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with the participation and guidance of a U.S. industrial partner with extensive years of experience developing cooperative, integrated agricultural systems.