EkoNiva has become an industrial partner of the 3rd International Young Scientists School Russia – Zambia: Economic Opportunities and Prospects. For the first time, the educational project has been held in Moscow, bringing together around 60 students from the respective countries.

The key goal of the initiative is to provide young people from Russia and Zambia with practical knowledge on foreign economic activity. The programme included numerous professional workshops, lectures, practical sessions, meetings with representatives of Russian businesses and international organisations, as well as a visit to EkoNiva’s dairy farm in Moscow oblast. Upon completing the training, the participants prepared and defended analytical projects on introducing products of Russian companies to the Zambian market. In particular, a case study was developed for EkoNiva-Tekhnika’s in-house spare parts brand – AGROZNAK.

‘Such research allows us to identify new growth points for increasing the trade flow between our countries. For the Group, the participation in the initiative is an important step in expanding its export capacity in the African market. EkoNiva always supports talented young people and innovative ideas. This cooperation will enable us to develop modern technologies and produce competitive goods. Besides, working with students offers us the opportunity to get new blood, future skilled personnel and make important scientific discoveries’, says Dmitriy Fetisov, Head of Spare Parts Division at EkoNivaTekhnika-Holding.

Professor Lubinda Haabazoka, Director of the Graduate School of Business at the University of Zambia, also highly praised the results of the training programme.

‘The practical part of the project made a lasting impression on our students, inspiring them to master advanced production technologies and develop agricultural mechanisation in Zambia. We are willing to send our best graduates to EkoNiva for internships and, of course, to promote cooperation between the company and our country. This partnership will strengthen the bridges between Russia and Africa and foster a mutually beneficial exchange of experience in the key sector of the continent’, emphasises Lubinda Haabazoka.

In 2025, the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) and EkoNiva signed a cooperation agreement. Students from RUDN’s Department of Economics, including those from Zambia, will be able to do internships at the Group’s enterprises. Its specialists will assist in refining the curricula, suggest relevant topics for theses and participate in holding examinations. Such practices will help foreign students learn about Russian innovations in agricultural technology, farm digitalisation and product exports. RUDN has been collaborating closely with Zambia for several years now, inviting African students to take part in various training projects. EkoNiva, as an industrial partner, will enhance the practical focus of this initiative. Zambian students can make a great career start in Russia – from internships to ideas for agribusiness back in their home country.

‘Visiting EkoNiva’s production site allowed for a detailed study and understanding of the entire technological cycle, and the tasting sessions demonstrated the high quality of the produce’, notes Kayaya Mwanakayaya Chishiba, a second-year student majoring in world economy at the RUDN Department of Economics. ‘The company’s dairy surpasses that made in Zambia in terms of taste characteristics, and the production scale is much greater. I was also impressed by the flexibility of the student internship programmes. The opportunity to try oneself in different areas of agricultural production opens up many career prospects.’

‘The cooperation with existing industrial companies, especially large ones like EkoNiva, gives us the chance to participate in various practical projects and find out how businesses abroad operate’, says Hillan Yumba, a fourth-year student of the International Business programme at the Graduate School of Business, University of Zambia. ‘I am a marketing specialist, so I find anything related to my profession useful and interesting. If we applied the same highly efficient solutions that are implemented at EkoNiva to Zambian agriculture, we would achieve food security sooner.’