During the harvest campaign, a thematic sociological study was conducted as part of the “People’s Five-Year Plan” project. More than 1,000 proposals from citizens, 5,700 online survey responses, and 8,200 blitz-survey responses were collected. The following key findings merit attention:
1. An overwhelming majority of survey participants (87.4%) report no difficulties in obtaining a “borsch kit”. Prices for bakery products, cereals, and grains are generally considered reasonable by respondents. Assessments of the cost of dairy, meat products, vegetables, and fruit are somewhat more critical. Overall, satisfaction with the quality and variety of all types of food products is observed. There is a notable demand for improving access to environmentally friendly or organic food products.
2. Belarusian-produced food enjoys a high level of public trust (92.04%). Trust in state-produced goods significantly exceeds trust in products from private households and farms, while consumers rarely choose exclusively local products. The choice of domestic products is primarily driven by their quality, natural composition, and taste, as well as conformity with national standards (GOST), legal requirements, and the quality and formulation stated on packaging, combined with professional service and brand recognition. Price remains a key criterion (“As long as it’s Belarusian and not prohibitively expensive”).
3. Most respondents rate the level of food security in Belarus positively. Nevertheless, people no longer perceive this aspect of national well-being as a given. Concerns include food prices, the availability of safe and high-quality products, the use of E-additives and GMOs, the impact of weather conditions and climate change on harvests, and the effects of sanctions on food trade. According to citizens, national food security can be strengthened through high-tech agriculture, strong foreign demand for Belarusian food products, reduced reliance on imports, and the development of international trade and logistics. There are lower expectations regarding the “green economy,” technology transfer, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
4. The overwhelming majority of respondents identify the domestic agro-industrial complex as one of the country’s most significant national achievements and envision Belarus as an agrarian country in the future (79.52% and 68.37%, respectively) (“We will have to remain agrarian if we want to live and work on our own land”). At the same time, agricultural priorities are viewed in the context of a high-tech post-industrial state, with developed industrial production and a service sector.
5. The attractiveness of employment in the agro-industrial sector is mainly determined by material incentives and social guarantees: higher wages, preferential housing acquisition terms, and a lower retirement age. The importance of working conditions in the sector is emphasised, along with the modernisation of the industry, the development of private farms and agricultural enterprises, and the improvement of living standards and quality of life in rural areas.