The improvement of peasant agronomic culture: directions and forms of work of agricultural cooperation in the NEP years

Abstract

Abstract. Purpose. The author of the article aims to outline the directions and forms of agricultural cooperation
functioning in the NEP years to increase the level of peasant agriculture, assess the various cooperative agricultural measures
for gaining the marketability and profitability of farms.
Scientific novelty. On the basis of the involved sources and the application of current methodological approaches, the
directions and forms of work of agricultural cooperation in the years of the NEP to increase the level of peasant agriculture
have been highlighted, an attempt has been made to evaluate various cooperative agricultural measures to increase the
marketability and profitability of peasant households. It is proved that cooperative agricultural work was an important factor
influencing the growth of peasants’ interest in obtaining agricultural knowledge.
Conclusion. It is noted that during the NEP years agricultural cooperation as a form of mutually beneficial collaboration
of peasant farms became the centre of economic life of the Ukrainian countryside, contributed to its revival and met economic
interests of multimillion agricultural producers. In this area the cooperative network took a number of decisive and progressive
steps related to the organizational, financial and economic-productional components of the agricultural revival process and
its further development.
It is emphasized that the agricultural cooperation developed an effective mechanism for an active introduction of
agronomic culture in peasant life, which was gradually taking large-scale, rationally organized forms and directions. The
cooperation launched mass work not only among the cooperative peasantry, but also actively involved non-cooperative
farmers in the improvement of the agronomic culture, thus involving them in cooperative ranks and caring for the expansion of
agricultural knowledge among the population.
It has been proved that cooperative agricultural work was an important factor influencing the growth of peasants’ interests
in obtaining agricultural knowledge.
Agricultural cooperative measures concerning the improvement of agronomic culture of peasant farms during the NEP
years were characterized by a wide range of organizational and substantive diversity. In general, the constructive agricultural
efforts of cooperation, along with powerful productional and economic processes, were aimed at achieving maximum economic
effect, stimulated the marketability and profitability of peasant farms.