ANALYSIS OF STAKEHOLDER REQUIREMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF GRANT SUPPORT FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Abstract

State grant support for small businesses in the agro-industrial complex is an important form of stimulating and financing innovative activity. The research is based on a stakeholder approach to business change management and specific innovative projects in the interests of the state and the business entities themselves with the help of the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) in scientific and technical spheres. The analysis conducted showed that out of the total financing volume for all “Start” and “Commercialization” programs, 9.29% of grant support was allocated to projects in the agro-industrial complex in 2021, and only 8.81% in 2022. The largest share of funding goes to the “Commercialization” program (74.22% in 2021 and 64.65% in 2022), which aims to support innovative projects of existing agricultural organizations, involving the creation, expansion, and modernization of production necessary for serial release. This does not fully satisfy the needs for supporting startups and young developing organizations. At the same time, the structure of satisfied applications reflects the requests of their authors – the largest share of allocated financing is for the “Biotechnology” direction (55.38% in 2021 and 42.58% in 2022), followed by “New instruments and intelligent production technologies” (29.58% in 2021 and 31.28% in 2022). However, the analysis of the requirements of state policy in the field of digitalization of the economy and changes in the needs of economic entities shows the inevitability of a gradual reorientation of their projects towards “Digital Technologies” and “Artificial Intelligence”. Geographically, the largest volume of allocated funds is for the Central and Volga Federal Districts (36.47% and 25.2% respectively), which does not sufficiently satisfy the needs of businesses in other regions of the country. A proposal is justified to satisfy the information needs of various groups of stakeholders in the innovative development of the agro-industrial complex (including government bodies) by disclosing information on the actual implementation and effectiveness of funded projects by supported organizations and on the Fund's website.