Arising Biodiversity. The Role of Different Concepts of Biodiversity in Russian Agriculture (20th-21th centuries)

This work aims to understand how the concept of biodiversity in agriculture has evolved in Russia over time. While it is generally believed that awareness of biodiversity’s importance began in Russia only in the mid-1990s, with the creation of Russia's National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, the theoretical foundations of biodiversity date back to the Soviet era. To assess the evolution of this idea, this thesis will analyze key aspects, including scientific discoveries, which laid the foundation for the concept of biodiversity during the Soviet period. Further, the study will review the impact of the Rio Conference (1992) on the development of the policy framework through the lens of biodiversity; and the development of decision-making concerning agriculture shaped by ideologies. Furthermore, unique soil types will be evaluated as a source of biodiversity development in Russia. As an applied contribution, this research will evaluate public comprehension of the concept of biodiversity and conservation practices in modern Russia. To this aim, academic sources such as scientific literature, technical reports, and interviews will be analyzed to follow the shaping of a theoretical framework of biodiversity. The works of Russian authors as well as archival Soviet materials will be used to focus on the cultural context where the controversial debate took place. Additionally, case studies of specific experiments as well as in-depth interviews with farmers will serve to evaluate the contemporary understanding of biodiversity.