Agricultural entrepreneurship of Akmola region of Kazakhstan on the background of pandemic

The aim of the study is to study the state of agricultural entrepreneurship in Akmola region of Kazakhstan in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Objectives – to identify its consequences for agriculture in the region. Results – the ways of combating them, measures of public support of enterprises for sustainable development of the republic's economy are shown. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected agricultural sector, forcing States to close borders. There are also food shortages in other countries such as Europe and North America, as well as a shortage of specialists caused by the emergence of new barriers to cheap labor on farms. Based on the use of economic and statistical method, the data of indicators "The share of gross value added of small and medium-sized businesses in the GRP of the regions of Kazakhstan" for Akmola region for 2019-2020, the structure of operating small and medium-sized agribusiness entities, exports and imports in trade with all States are presented. Based on the analysis, a steady growth was noted in the field of agro-industrial production of Akmola region. The pandemic has affected different sectors of economy in different ways. With regard to food essential goods, such strict restrictions have not been introduced. According to statistics, for the six months of 2021, agricultural production increased by 2.4% compared to the same period last year. Conclusions – as a result of the research, it was determined that in Akmola region the growth of agricultural enterprises was about 13%. This is the highest figure in the last 10 years. During the crisis, agroindustrial complex has become the main factor holding back inflation.

Introduction. When coronavirus pandemic came to Kazakhstan, food security and agricultural development were the most important problems. Now many countries are concentrated on ensuring the domestic market and import substitution through the development of the agrarian sector [1].
The risks associated with food security are minimal for our country. Kazakhstan almost completely provides itself with the main types of food products. There are partial imports of poultry meat, finished dairy products, fruits, sugar, but its share is decreasing every year, many new domestic industries are being created [2]. In 2019 alone, Kaz Agro Holding implemented 84 projects totaling 102 billion tenge at the expense of financing.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected different sectors of the economy in different ways. The areas where consumers access to services and goods is restricted caused the greatest damage. We see that services and entertainment, tourism, and trade in non-food products have suffered greatly. No such strict restrictions have been imposed on foodessential goods.
Akmola region is the of the most agricultural regions of the republic which are producing 6% of meat, 23% of grain and 7% of milk. Over the past 3 years, the average annual grain production in the region amounted to 4.7 million tons, and the average annual grain export for the same period amounted to 1.6 million tons [3].
Material and methods of research. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is based on the scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists-economists on the dynamics of agricultural entrepreneurship development in the context of the pandemic, the Resolutions of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, legislative acts.
During the study, various research methods were used, depending on the purpose and objectives of the study: abstract-logical-to study the directions of development of economic indicators of agricultural enterprises; monographic-to study the experience of agricultural entrepreneurs from near and far abroad in the context of the pandemic; analysis of the current state of agricultural entrepreneurship in the Akmola region.
The data of the Committee on Statistics of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Agriculture, reporting documents of agricultural enterprises, statistical data of research institutions were used as the information base of the study. In connection with the research topic, domestic and foreign publications, materials of scientific-theoretical, scientific-practical conferences, materials of mass media, articles from periodicals were used.
Results and their discussion. By the data of the Statistics Committe of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the gross of the regional product of the Akmola region is estimated at 0.8 trillion tenge, which provided the region with a share in the gross domestic product of 2.9%, which is 2.5% higher than in the first half of 2019.
By results of the first quarter of 2020, in terms of the share of small and medium-sized businesses in the gross regional product, Akmola region took the 9th place (24.8%). At the same time, compared to 2019, there is a tendency for this indicator to grow by 3.4 percentage points, see figure 1. Over the past three years, the region has seen a steady trend towards a stable crop yield [4]. In the development of the agroindustrial complex, special attention is paid to the introduction of modern scientific developments into production, which, is in turn, has a positive effect on the rate of increase in volumes, improving the quality and profitability of agricultural products.
In January-June 2020, the number of operating small and medium-sized businesses in the Akmola region amounted to 45.  The share of small and medium-sized businesses in the total volume of employment is 32.5%, which is equal to 129.1 thousand people. Legal entities of small and mediumsized businesses employed 64.5 thousand people, which is 50.0% of the number of employees in small and medium-sized businesses in the Akmola region (small businesses-37.0% and medium-sized businesses-13.0%). Individual entrepreneurs employ 42.5% or 55.4 thousand people. Peasant (farm) farms employ 7.1% or 9.  In the first half of 2020, small and medium-sized businesses of the Akmola region produced products in the amount of 328.6 billion tenge, which is 9.9% more than in the first half of 2019 (in the first half of 2019-299.1 billion tenge) [5].
In January-June 2020, the export of goods of the Akmola region amounted to 125.4 million US dollars, which is 8.0% lower than in January-June 2019 (in 2019-136.3 million US dollars). Imports of goods from January to June 2020 amounted to 91.1 million US dollars, which is 24.3% lower than in the same period in 2019 (in 2019-120.3 million US dollars), see table.
As we see the price fluctuations, the state has the tools and resources to maintain them [6]. In order to prevent the occurrence of shortages and unjustified price increases, especially for socially important food products, in each region there are stabilization funds that purchase and sell food products.  In 2020, JSC "Agrarian Credit Corporation" allocated a budget loan in the amount of 70 billion tenge to finance the sowing and harvesting campaign. Akmola region is one of the most dynamically developing regions of the country. Special attention in the region is paid to cattle breeding, combined with agriculture [7]. Due to the state support in the region, the number of livestock increases every year. This industry is developing in the meat and dairy sectors. Last year, 150 meat processing farms were opened, 10 thousand heads of breeding cattle were purchased.
Also there has been opened four dairy farms. Nevertheless, all the success works of the region is not only this, its also in the fact that now local specialists intend to meet the demand in the domestic market and increase the export potential of the region. For that, in 2022, the task is to increase the production of meat to 120 thousand tones, milk-to 200 thousand tons. In addition, it is planned to open a feedlot for 7 thousand heads of cattle and 135 meat processing farms in the districts. One of them is in the Arshalyn district for 7 thousand heads of cattle (Aizet farms LLP), in the city of Kushetau for 5 thousan d, heads of cattle ("Bibord" LLP) and Tselinograd district ("Agropark" LLP). The region also pays attention to the development of dairy cattle breeding. This year, will begin the construction of 9 dairy farms for 4.600 cows. Also, hree large farms are planned in Akkol, Astrakhan and Atbasar districts.
Akmola region is one of the leading agricultural regions of Kazakhstan. Every year, the Akmola region produces a third of the republican gross harvest of high-quality grain and is an important link in this area.
Ensuring the food security of the country and creating the food belt of the city of Nur-Sultan [8]. As part of the diversification of agricultural production, there is a significant increase in oilseeds, fodder and legumes, potatoes and vegetables. Along with the export of wheat flour and grain, oilseeds, vegetable oil, animal products -meat and sausage products-are supplied to foreign markets.
The strategic objective of the development of agriculture in the Akmola region is to preserve and increase soil fertility, control erosion processes, diversify and optimize the structure of acreage with an increase in the share of oilseeds and oilseeds, the entire food production chain is classified as "essential" goods during the Covid-19 quarantine, so the agricultural industry continues to operate smoothly.
In 2020, steady growth is observed in the field of agriculture of the Akmola region. The figure is about 13 percent. This is the highest indicator in the industry in the last 10 years. The agro-industrial complex in the conditions of the crisis has become the main factor in restraining inflation in the region [9].
The largest projects are the modernization of the largest dairy processing enterprise in our region-Gormolzavod LLP. The total capacity is 150 tons per day. Also, the creation of a feed mill with a capacity of 28 thousand tons per year-MMK Ayan LLP in the Arshalyn district.
In the Birzhan Sal district, the construction of a breeding reproducer for four and a half thousand heads of cattle-Burabay Astyq LLP-has been completed. In the city of Kokshetau, the construction of a feedlot of "Bibord"LLP with a capacity of five thousand heads has been completed. The second stage of the Makinskaya Poultry Farm has been launched. After the expansion, the poultry farm became a large enterprise in terms of chicken meat production [10].

Conclusions
According to the results of the study, the introduction of new technologies after the pandemic may be accelerated not because of the situation in the domestic market, but because of the need to compete with manufacturers of developed countries engaged in automation in global markets. In addition, the objectives of the «National Development Plan» includes increasing agricultural investment in irrigation, increasing productivity and expanding export markets. Such goals may promote (or require) more active automation. It is necessary to conduct an in-depth scientific study of the situation in the field of agricultural entrepreneurship.
Conducting comprehensive diagnostics of agricultural land, inventory of resourcespersonnel, wells and wells, equipment, storage, and marketing infrastructure.
Completely revise the methodology of statistical reporting. The program must be based on reliable data. Such research should be regular and publicly funded.
Education of the agricultural manager -is one of the most important factors of competitiveness and survival of agriculture. Regular refresher courses for rural professionals and farmers are needed at institutes and colleges. The provision of subsidies related to the level of qualification of farmers, their involvement of specialists, their constant training, will serve as a qualitative activation in the field of personnel training. During the post-Covid-19 economic recovery, authorities and businesses in all countries with large-scale agriculture should pay more attention to automation trends.