Dina Vyacheslavovna Karpova

Th e damage caused by soil and land degradation was assessed at three hierarchical levels (the region as a whole, the municipality, the agricultural sector) of the spatial organization of six test regions of the Russian Federation (Volgograd, Belgorod, Kaliningrad, Vladimir, Samara and Penza regions). Th e indicators of soil and land degradation for all test objects
were a decrease in the content of exchangeable potassium, a decrease in the content of mobile phosphorus, a decrease
in the content of humus, a change in the acidity index of soils. In addition, for the test objects of the Volgograd region, the indicator of land salinization was used, the Belgorod region — soil erosion, the Kaliningrad region — the indicator of the metabolic coeffi cient (qCO2) of soils. It was found that the minimum and maximum values of the specific total damage fr om degradation can be detected for regions with a similar composition of soil cover (Saratov and Belgorod regions, respectively, wh ere chernozem soils predominate). When the values of specifi c total damage from soil and land degradation are close to each other at various hierarchical levels of spatial organization of regions (Vladimir, Saratov, Belgorod and partly Penza regions), in terms of intensity and scale of manifestation of the studied degradation processes, the agricultural farm is «typical» for the entire municipal district, and the municipal district is «typical» for the entire region.

The purpose of the study was to assess the current state of food security in some regions of the Russian Federation,
to identify bottlenecks that hinder its achievement, and also to try to determine the relationship between food
security indicators and the degree of land degradation – categories that largely determine the socio-ecological
development of the region. Belgorod, Vladimir, Volgograd, Kaliningrad, Penza, Samara regions were selected as
test regions. At the same time, the choice of the self-suffi ciency indicator for the main types of food products as the
most representative indicator for assessing food security at the municipal level is justified. Th e adapted methodology
for calculating self-suffi ciency for the municipal level consisted in using the calculated indicators of the required
production volumes in accordance with rational consumption standards, which allowed us to obtain an objective assessment of how much municipal formations are able to provide the population living there with the main types of products. The adapted methodology proposed by the authors for calculating indicators of self-suffi ciency in basic types of food at the municipal level is described in detail in earlier publications. Th e results of the analysis of the
data obtained on self-suffi ciency in such types of products as potatoes, vegetables, meat, milk, fruits and berries in the municipal districts of the test regions in dynamics for the period 2010-2021 are presented. In addition, the relationship between the calculated indicators of self-suffi ciency in the main types of food and the degree of land degradation in the municipalities of the test regions was revealed. The results obtained made it possible to identify the main problems associated with ensuring food security and develop proposals to improve the situation.<br>

The Department of Erosion and Soil Protection has developed the main scientific directions – «Assessment of ero- sion processes in soils of various bioclimatic zones», «Study of the basics of sustainable land use» and «Ecological and economic assessment of soil and land degradation». It is proposed to develop both existing areas of scientific research with a certain adjustment of their names and problems («Analysis and modeling of erosion processes in soils, including in the context of climate change», «Development of the concept of sustainable land use in the context of food security», «Ecology, economics and socio-demographic features of land use in the context of climate change and soil degradation»), as well as new directions that have some research history at the department — «Development of principles of soil protection», «Development of methodological foundations of land reclamation». The necessity of creating a holistic concept of soil protection is considered in particular detail. This concept should include both the formulation of legal (legislative and regulatory-methodological) principles of soil protection, and the definition of criteria for assessing soils under which their protection can be carried out, and the development of soil protection systems (first of all, from the manifestation of erosion processes) in various bioclimatic and administrative-territorial conditions.