A Russian Farmer:
"I Can Hardly Imagine Working Without Vegetation Indices"
Reading time — 9 minutes
Nikita Tokmakov on switching to agriculture, vegetation indices, and using OneSoil soil sensors.
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Since 2018, Nikita Tokmakov has managed a 650-ha farmstead in Russia's Voronezh Region. He plans planting, monitors crop rotation, selects plant protection products, and studies agriculture. It may seem like a typical story until you consider that Nikita was just recently a sales manager at an international company who now runs his own agricultural blog. To find out more about switching to agriculture, modern technologies serving farmers, and using OneSoil soil sensors when deciding sowing time, keep reading our interview with Nikita.
Since 2018, Nikita Tokmakov has managed a 650-ha farmstead in Russia's Voronezh Region. He plans planting, monitors crop rotation, selects plant protection products, and studies agriculture. It may seem like a typical story until you consider that Nikita was just recently a sales manager at an international company who now runs his own agricultural blog. To find out more about switching to agriculture, modern technologies serving farmers, and using OneSoil soil sensors when deciding sowing time, keep reading our interview with Nikita.
— Tell us more about your transition to agriculture. How did you decide to do this?
Where do I begin? In big companies, you’re either constantly climbing the career ladder in one company, or you’re moving to another one. This system is called 'Up or out'. And that’s what happened to me. I peaked at a management position in one of Russia’s regions and was offered that chance to move to Moscow. But I felt out of place there and started thinking about what’s next. I took a year to think and spent it studying different areas, like IT, consulting, and lots more.
At some point, my current partner, who’s had his agricultural business for a long time now, suggested that I consider agriculture.
Where do I begin? In big companies, you’re either constantly climbing the career ladder in one company, or you’re moving to another one. This system is called 'Up or out'. And that’s what happened to me. I peaked at a management position in one of Russia’s regions and was offered that chance to move to Moscow. But I felt out of place there and started thinking about what’s next. I took a year to think and spent it studying different areas, like IT, consulting, and lots more.
At some point, my current partner, who’s had his agricultural business for a long time now, suggested that I consider agriculture.
I recall thinking, "Me and agriculture? I don’t really see myself doing that."
But I followed his advice and started looking for people involved in farming, talked to them, and learned how they build their business and grow. In the end, I was so impressed by these people that my understanding of agriculture has utterly changed. I thought about it for a few more months and then decided to switch over. At first, I sold grain crops but then moved to production.
Nikita in the field
— What were your first investments in the new business? What did you spend the most money on?
The barrier of entry into agriculture is huge. But my story isn’t a typical one; I came to agriculture as a junior partner in an existing business. So my initial expenses were relatively low, around 1.5 million rubles (around $ 25,000). Most of the money was spent on buying fertilizers, plant protection, fuel and lubricants, and everything needed for seed treatment.
— Tell us more about your farmstead: what’s its area, what crops do you cultivate, how many employees do you have?
I have 650 hectares in the Voronezh Region. That’s pretty small for our region because there are farms nearby with thousands and tens of thousands of hectares. But, there are also smaller farms that are only about 400 hectares in area. We have around 200 farmers in our region alone.
We cultivate four main crops: winter wheat, soybeans, corn, and sunflower. On the one hand, they grow well in chernozem; on the other hand, all these crops are export-oriented. Plus, they’re optimal in terms of profitability per hectare. That’s important since we export nearly our entire harvest.
I’ve got 8 people working with me full-time, but I’m personally involved in almost everything. Sometimes, it’s easier just to say what I don’t do. Like, I don’t drive the tractor and don’t repair machinery. The main tasks to be performed are strategic: planning, brainstorming new ideas, controlling, management, purchases, and sales. My previous experience comes in handy with the last part. My partner and I work together to organize a lot of the farm work. We make decisions together, too.
The barrier of entry into agriculture is huge. But my story isn’t a typical one; I came to agriculture as a junior partner in an existing business. So my initial expenses were relatively low, around 1.5 million rubles (around $ 25,000). Most of the money was spent on buying fertilizers, plant protection, fuel and lubricants, and everything needed for seed treatment.
— Tell us more about your farmstead: what’s its area, what crops do you cultivate, how many employees do you have?
I have 650 hectares in the Voronezh Region. That’s pretty small for our region because there are farms nearby with thousands and tens of thousands of hectares. But, there are also smaller farms that are only about 400 hectares in area. We have around 200 farmers in our region alone.
We cultivate four main crops: winter wheat, soybeans, corn, and sunflower. On the one hand, they grow well in chernozem; on the other hand, all these crops are export-oriented. Plus, they’re optimal in terms of profitability per hectare. That’s important since we export nearly our entire harvest.
I’ve got 8 people working with me full-time, but I’m personally involved in almost everything. Sometimes, it’s easier just to say what I don’t do. Like, I don’t drive the tractor and don’t repair machinery. The main tasks to be performed are strategic: planning, brainstorming new ideas, controlling, management, purchases, and sales. My previous experience comes in handy with the last part. My partner and I work together to organize a lot of the farm work. We make decisions together, too.
Nikita cultivates four crops in his farmstead: winter wheat, soybeans, corn, and sunflower
— I've read that you use no-till farming in your fields. What other modern technologies do you use, and why?
We use direct seeding, which isn't quite no-till farming. No-till is a comprehensive approach; in my opinion, it's an inseparable part of animal farming. We only use a part of that technique: direct seeding with zero tilling. It's a good option when you don't have time for the full tilling process. Then again, different crops have different requirements, so we're still looking for the best solutions. We experiment with zero tilling, minimum tilling, and plowing.
And when it comes to modern technologies, I can hardly imagine working without satellite images and vegetation indices. Yes, you can inspect each field and see everything with your own eyes, but you can't do it 24/7. The NDVI maps that OneSoil derives from satellite images solve this problem and make agro scouting easier. NDVI helps detect problem areas in the field.
We use direct seeding, which isn't quite no-till farming. No-till is a comprehensive approach; in my opinion, it's an inseparable part of animal farming. We only use a part of that technique: direct seeding with zero tilling. It's a good option when you don't have time for the full tilling process. Then again, different crops have different requirements, so we're still looking for the best solutions. We experiment with zero tilling, minimum tilling, and plowing.
And when it comes to modern technologies, I can hardly imagine working without satellite images and vegetation indices. Yes, you can inspect each field and see everything with your own eyes, but you can't do it 24/7. The NDVI maps that OneSoil derives from satellite images solve this problem and make agro scouting easier. NDVI helps detect problem areas in the field.
You just check the vegetation indices, find the low ones, and you already know which area needs a visit. NDVI is also very handy when it comes to distributing fieldwork, especially during harvest.
Another thing I’d like to mention is modern soil sensors and weather stations. They help understand the moisture level and temperature in different soil layers, what’s going on with the soil, and the air temperature in the field. They also help forecast the weather and make agricultural decisions like selecting the sowing date or soil tillage time.
Of course, there are tons of exciting solutions in the world, although I can’t see the real business use for many of them. For example, some companies provide a detailed layout by the number of plants per hectare. It seems important to know how many plants you have and where to understand the number of sprouts per point. But what do you do with that information? I’ll definitely keep looking into this. Maybe I’ll figure out how to use those kinds of maps. But for now, I don’t see the benefits.
Of course, there are tons of exciting solutions in the world, although I can’t see the real business use for many of them. For example, some companies provide a detailed layout by the number of plants per hectare. It seems important to know how many plants you have and where to understand the number of sprouts per point. But what do you do with that information? I’ll definitely keep looking into this. Maybe I’ll figure out how to use those kinds of maps. But for now, I don’t see the benefits.
— I know that, in April of this year, you started using the OneSoil weather sensor.
That's right, and I'm still using it. My fields are close to each other, and there's no big difference in productivity zones, so I thought one sensor would be more than enough. It lets me monitor soil humidity and temperature, which, in turn, help me analyze moisture movement, plan sowing and tilling, and understand whether the rain was heavy, for example. It's easy to detect when dew came and went based on the air humidity. The sensor is 8−10 times cheaper than a weather station, which is also an important factor.
That's right, and I'm still using it. My fields are close to each other, and there's no big difference in productivity zones, so I thought one sensor would be more than enough. It lets me monitor soil humidity and temperature, which, in turn, help me analyze moisture movement, plan sowing and tilling, and understand whether the rain was heavy, for example. It's easy to detect when dew came and went based on the air humidity. The sensor is 8−10 times cheaper than a weather station, which is also an important factor.
Nikita uses his Instagram account to deep-dive into how and why he uses the OneSoil weather sensor. There is his first-hand review (in Russian)
— Do you use the OneSoil apps, and which features do you find to be the most useful?
Well, I monitor different vegetation indices. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for me, so I use three apps.
Well, I monitor different vegetation indices. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for me, so I use three apps.
What makes OneSoil handy is that it regularly shows NDVI updates and calculates each field's average index.
The app also lets you track how the vegetation index changes over time. The NDVI dynamics matter a lot to me. Add to that the huge advantage that OneSoil is completely free.
Besides, like I already told you, I use the NDVI index all the time during harvest. Looking at the average vegetation index helps me decide which field should be the first to be harvested and which should be the last. I plan plant treatment using NDVI graphs. Like, I see that this or that field is developing faster than the others, then I decide on the treatment sequence using this info.
Besides, like I already told you, I use the NDVI index all the time during harvest. Looking at the average vegetation index helps me decide which field should be the first to be harvested and which should be the last. I plan plant treatment using NDVI graphs. Like, I see that this or that field is developing faster than the others, then I decide on the treatment sequence using this info.
NDVI curve of wheat growth from OneSoil Web App
— What are your thoughts on agriculture development in CIS countries?
Well, I consider myself to be a positive person, and it seems to me that everything’s going to be all right. Besides, the situation with the coronavirus has shown that agriculture will always remain relevant. We never stopped working, although many industries have come to a standstill during this time. On the other hand, there are always real risks in agriculture: export restrictions. If this happens, the situation for us as manufacturers will change radically. But it’s called business for a reason; there’s always room for turbulence.
From a technological point of view, forgive the pun, agriculture is fertile ground. We still have a lot of room for growth and development. There aren’t many big players on the market, so the niche remains to be filled. But now we’re going through a change in generations. Young farmers already have a different outlook on technology, use modern solutions, and look for new tools. Demand is rising, and digital companies are starting to work on it. So I predict that the situation will change.
— What professional goals have you set for yourself in agriculture?
As a numbers man, I’m interested in competing with myself in yield, profitability, and, ultimately, profit per hectare. As far as long-term goals are concerned, I’d like to increase the farm’s area to try new tools and test different business models. My dream is to become an agricultural flagship, passing through all the advanced trends and helping others develop and implement new technologies.
Well, I consider myself to be a positive person, and it seems to me that everything’s going to be all right. Besides, the situation with the coronavirus has shown that agriculture will always remain relevant. We never stopped working, although many industries have come to a standstill during this time. On the other hand, there are always real risks in agriculture: export restrictions. If this happens, the situation for us as manufacturers will change radically. But it’s called business for a reason; there’s always room for turbulence.
From a technological point of view, forgive the pun, agriculture is fertile ground. We still have a lot of room for growth and development. There aren’t many big players on the market, so the niche remains to be filled. But now we’re going through a change in generations. Young farmers already have a different outlook on technology, use modern solutions, and look for new tools. Demand is rising, and digital companies are starting to work on it. So I predict that the situation will change.
— What professional goals have you set for yourself in agriculture?
As a numbers man, I’m interested in competing with myself in yield, profitability, and, ultimately, profit per hectare. As far as long-term goals are concerned, I’d like to increase the farm’s area to try new tools and test different business models. My dream is to become an agricultural flagship, passing through all the advanced trends and helping others develop and implement new technologies.
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