A comprehensive system of support and development of agricultural cooperation has been built in the Belgorod Region as the main mechanism for increasing profitability and sustainable activities of small forms of farming in rural areas.

Since one of the main difficulties for the development of agricultural cooperation is insufficient awareness of the possibilities of cooperative activities and available forms of state support, in the Belgorod region, with the support of AO Federal Corporation for the Development of Small and Medium–Sized Enterprises, a multidisciplinary Competence Center in the field of agricultural cooperation and support for farmers (hereinafter referred to as the Center) has been established, which develops agricultural cooperation and acts as an aggregator of support institutions.

1. The Center provides comprehensive support for the activities of existing cooperatives and helps in the creation of the new ones, provides information, consulting, and educational support (on the principle of "one window"):

Develops standard forms of documents required for registration and activity of agricultural cooperatives (charter, regulations, job Описаниеs, etc.), which facilitates their creation.
Accompanies applicants for support (credits, loans, grants, subsidies, leasing products, etc.).
Develops business plans for innovative and investment projects in agriculture for agricultural producers.
Organizes demonstration sites in order to provide agricultural producers with technological means of production.
Conducts strategic sessions on the development of agricultural cooperation in the municipalities of the region.
Develops and conducts educational programs for additional professional development and seminars for agricultural producers – SMEs, as well as private subsidiary farms, state and municipal employees on the specifics of the activities of agricultural cooperatives (705 people were trained free of charge).
Conducts marketing and analytical research, which are sent in electronic form to agricultural producers of the region, and are also freely available on the website http://ikc.belapk.ru /.
Provides methodological support, develops and issues methodological recommendations on the activities of agricultural cooperatives
Organizes and conducts round tables for agricultural producers with representatives of financial organizations on the use of financial instruments for the development of agricultural cooperatives.
Provides other consulting services (in total, the Center has provided more than 10,000 consulting services).

In 2018, the Auditing Union of[1] agricultural cooperatives of the Belgorod region Belogorye was established on the basis of the Center.

Employees of the Center provide the following services to members of the audit union:

- analysis of the financial and economic activities of the cooperative, valuation of property, assessment of business risks;

- setting, restoration and accounting;

- maintaining a register of members and associate members of cooperatives;

- consulting on legal issues, as well as representation in judicial and tax authorities on customs and tax disputes;

- consulting on managerial, economic, tax, accounting and financial issues;

- providing information and other services related to auditing activities and contributing to improving the results of financial and economic activities of cooperatives.

2. The Center develops organic agricultural production in the region in order to increase brand awareness of manufacturers and products:

Conducts an independent assessment of the conformity of products with the organic standards developed by the Center.
Provides support to producers on the implementation of the organic production system in accordance with the voluntary certification system (hereinafter – VCS) of organic production Belorganik:

- Manufacturers who have passed the confirmation of conformity receive a certificate of conformity of organic production or products and have the right to place a label on the products containing the word "Organic" (ORGANIC), as well as the right to use the VCS mark of organic production Belorganik.

3. Implements the principles of lean management at agro-industrial enterprises of the Belgorod region in order to disseminate innovative management experience and increase the efficiency of small business:

Coordinates the actions of agricultural organizations on the introduction of lean production technologies.
Develops methodological materials on lean production.
Conducts training on the principles of lean management: - In 2020, the Center organized a Process Factory - an educational game simulating one of the production processes of an agricultural enterprise, which is based on Lean technologies. Under the guidance of a trainer, students can gain experience in production analysis of problems and skills in using lean production tools (process mapping, production alignment, built-in quality and elimination of all types of losses).