“Baraev’s footstep in the steppe ocean as a feat, as a memory for us forever”

  July 16 marked the 115th anniversary of the birth of an outstanding scientist, the first director of the All-Union Research Institute of Grain Farming, Academician Alexander Ivanovich Barayev.  In honor of this landmark date, in front of the main building, the scientific community of the Center of Grain Farming gathered to honor the memory of the great scientist A.I. Barayev, the Acting Deputy Chairman of the Board for Science Yuri Dolinny addressed the participants of the memorial rally, in which he emphasized the role and place of A.I. Barayev in agricultural science and the fact that history the life and scientific activity of Alexander Ivanovich is a vivid example of devotional service to science. Then there were speeches by the veteran of science Demidova Ella Georgievna, head of the laboratory of agro-landscape and adaptive technology Akshalov Kanat Ashkeevich about the huge role and contribution of the scientist in the difficult formation and development of the Center of Grain Farming. After all, they happened to work under the guidance of A.I. Barayev, which they remembered with pride. Then the floor was given to the researcher of the Laboratory of Precision Farming, Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists Zhanzakov Bakhtiar, who expressed confidence that the young growth of scientists will be true to the traditions laid down by such recognized scientists. A red thread through all the speeches of the participants was the idea that A.I. Barayev was a pioneer in the development of virgin and fallow lands, the leader of all agrarian transformations, who managed to prevent an ecological catastrophe in those post-war dashing years in the struggle for Bread in the Kazakh steppes and the founder of the soil protection system of agriculture. It is not for nothing that he was nicknamed the Chief Agronomist of virgin lands for all these great deeds. A huge army of scientists who arrived on virgin soil recognized him as a real fighter for defending scientific ideas, a leader and a wise leader who supported everything that was done here in scientific laboratories, field sites and design bureaus. He was rightfully respected and appreciated for the fact that he made titanic efforts to modernize the infrastructure of Nauchny settlement. Now the Scientific and Production Center of Grain Farming bears his name, in the formation and development of which he made an invaluable contribution, and also in the capital of our republic one of the central streets is named after A.I. Barayev. In the center in front of the main building there is a bust of A.I. Barayev, a public museum has been created, which presents more than 270 rare exhibits and monographs, historical photographic documents and personal belongings of famous scientists, which are vivid evidence bearing the spirit of that irrepressible life-affirming historical period of time. For more than half a century of the Center’s existence, the great legacy of scientific ideas and thoughts left by this outstanding scientist together with his huge team of like-minded scientists continues to multiply today and awaken the scientific imagination of subsequent generations of scientists.

  Today, being a part of the «Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University named after S.Seifullin» NJSC, the team of SPC GF named after A.I. Barayev solves no less global tasks of integrating science, education and practice thanks to its powerful scientific and production potential, advanced technologies, high production culture, rich labor traditions. The Center employs about 300 people; the whole team of creative, purposeful and creative people makes an invaluable contribution to the development of the grain industry.

  The academic spirit that reigns in the Center inspires great confidence that the current followers of the great deeds of the luminaries of agrarian science will successfully promote the image of Barayev’s Center and with their scientific achievements only perpetuate the good memory of those agricultural scientists who faithfully served agricultural science. Among which Alexander Ivanovich Barayev occupies a special place. And how succinctly poetically the colleague of Barayev A.I., Demidova E.G. objected in her author’s versification: «And let the years fly by without a trace, Barayev’s footstep in the steppe ocean as a feat, as a memory for us forever!».