Yaroslav Mazurenko: The strength of modern agriculture lies in its people, technology and ability to adapt
In modern agricultural production, long-term success is determined not only by technology or crop yields, but first and foremost by people, their experience, and their ability to make decisions in constantly changing conditions. In a conversation with Yaroslav Mazurenko, head of the agricultural production department at “Vilia,” we discuss precision farming as an essential prerequisite for efficiency and why the ability to adapt is becoming a key advantage in agriculture today.
1. In your opinion, what is the most important factor in modern agricultural production - aside from technology and crop yields—for achieving long-term success?
People - definitely people. First and foremost, a team of professionals.
The scope of work in our field is enormous, and it’s impossible to do anything on your own, since new decisions have to be made in the field every single day. So far, neither artificial intelligence nor any algorithm-based software is capable of determining optimal crop rotations or the best use of fungicides, plant protection products, or herbicides better than a professional agronomist. The data set is too large, and most importantly, weather conditions are always different and unpredictable. That is why the experience of specialists, their knowledge base, and their ability to predict the impact of each step while accounting for weather factors are crucial here. No software product can yet replace people who are capable of quickly responding to changes and anticipating how a situation will develop. After all, nature is an extremely complex, self-regulating system, and the key point is that no one knows for certain what the weather will be like even a week from now.
2. What is your personal approach to harmoniously combining traditional farming with precision agriculture innovations?
Precision agriculture is, first and foremost, a tool that makes the work of agronomists, engineers, and machinery operators easier and more professional. For over 10 years now, we’ve been working without crooked lines in the fields, overlapping passes, or overspending - all thanks to precision farming technologies. They’ve become an integral part of traditional farming.
Without precision farming, production costs will always be higher - you’ll be out of the market, unable to grow, and will most likely go bankrupt. The impact of even the simplest systems is so significant that it’s impossible to work effectively without them.
Then there are drones, satellite monitoring, and determining seeding rates based on soil conditions - all of which help you grow and remain competitive. This entire suite - from basic technologies to the most advanced innovations - ultimately allows you to reduce production costs. And since we operate in a commodity market and have no control over product prices, we can only manage our expenses. If you don’t use precision farming, you simply won’t be able to compete.
Precision farming began with guidance systems on machinery; then parallel guidance systems appeared - where a computer sets the seeding lines, and the tractor operator simply steers the machine around turns. You can’t imagine how much this approach has transformed the agricultural sector! It made it possible to work efficiently around the clock, even at night, which doubled our output. Without these technologies, we simply wouldn’t have been able to grow and scale up without sacrificing quality.
The next stages of development include satellite monitoring, dividing fields into geozones, and differentiated seeding rates. If you don’t implement these - you can’t compete with neighbors who do.
3. How do you see the role of the farmer of the future, and what qualities do you think will be most valuable in this profession?
It will be critically important to be able to work with modern agricultural technology and computer systems. It will also be necessary to understand how to work with artificial intelligence, as it will certainly find applications in the agricultural sector and significantly simplify many processes - especially in training and configuring equipment. This pertains to the technical aspect.
As for working directly in the field and making agronomic decisions - here, the key qualities will be the ability to continuously learn, analyze experience and knowledge, and make well-considered decisions. Experience is crucial, but it must be adapted to climate change and new tools. Past successes may not hold true under new conditions. Essentially, the farmer of the future must be a manager - capable of organizing processes, assessing risks, and acting effectively.
4. In your opinion, what makes “Viliya” stand out from other agricultural enterprises?
Courage, technological expertise, and a drive for growth - these are what make “Viliya” special.
When I joined the company, we were farming about 2,700 hectares, and now we’re farming over 65,000 hectares. This is an example of continuous growth without staying in a so-called “comfort zone.” During this period, those who sought to grow - did grow. And those who wanted stability and comfort have paused, accumulated capital, and are working at a steady pace. Both models can be seen in Western Ukraine: there are companies that, just like us, are constantly growing, and there are those that have secured their land holdings, built up their resources, and expanded into related businesses. This is a choice made by the owners and management.
“Vilia,” on the other hand, is focused on continuous growth and development in agricultural production. Our investments in new technologies and modern equipment allow us to move forward. We learn from the best consultants in Europe and around the world and draw on the experience of the world’s leading agricultural companies.
5. What aspect of your department’s or division’s work brings you the most satisfaction and makes you feel that you and your team are accomplishing something truly meaningful?
What brings me the most satisfaction is collaboration, communication, and finding the best solutions. We are, first and foremost, managers - and I’m pleased when, during the day, we manage to make a decision that improves people’s work, impacts the results, or saves the company money. At the end of the day, I reflect on what the day entailed, and I’m satisfied when such decisions were made. Conversely, if there weren’t any - if I didn’t manage to accomplish something meaningful, even if not on a global scale but at least in basic business processes - I feel like the day wasn’t fully productive.
Our continuous growth is very inspiring. The most important thing in our work is the harvest. You always strive for it to be as large as possible and of the highest quality. When you look back over the past 15 years and see that we’re moving in the right direction - because we have a positive trend in yield and product quality - it provides incredible motivation. What seemed unrealistic 10 years ago, we now do with ease and can’t even imagine that it could have been any less productive. These years of growth have shown us: nothing is impossible, and we must always strive for even better results.
And another thing that fascinates me about our work is that business, in many ways, mirrors the laws of nature. Everyone is talking about business ecosystems these days and comparing them to nature, because nature has been shaping itself for millennia and is moving toward perfection and self-regulation. We, as agrarians, understand nature - evolution, the processes within plants, and allelopathy among different plant species - and because of this, we have a deeper understanding of business processes as well. We see how business, much like nature, is capable of self-renewal and adaptation. Some companies have pivoted, while others have disappeared. It’s a kind of natural selection. And the main rule here is that it’s not the strongest that survives, but the best-adapted - that is, the most adaptable and flexible.
