Agricultural Development Features of the Key Frontier Steppe Region – Orenburg Kray

Abstract

The purpose is to analyze the regularities of agricultural development in the Orenburg region. development. Materials and methods. The materials of own long-term fi eld studies of agrarian landscapes, literary and fund materials on the history of agricultural development of the region were used. Comparative-historical and comparative-typological analysis and logical generalisations were applied. Results and discussion. In the Orenburg Oblast, the following areas have been identifi ed: forest-steppe north-western districts of noble development, north-steppe and steppe districts of resettlement development, steppe and south-steppe districts of Cossack development, southern and south-eastern steppe districts of late resettlement development and pre-development during the Soviet virgin lands campaign, and eastern classical virgin dry-steppe districts. Local variations of farming are compared. Conclusion. The region was developed by farming from the north-west to the south and south-east, in directions of decreasing both favourable natural conditions and security for farmers. Development has been motivated and supported by the state throughout its history. Half of the virgin lands campaign of the 1950s covered areas already developed by agriculture. The overall result of development is the ploughing of almost all technologically accessible steppe lands on an area of over 7 million hectares, of which at least 2 million hectares are potentially unproductive.