Belvodgas

Belvodgas (Belvodkhoz) is a Belarusian state association responsible for land reclamation, water management and fisheries. Its full official name is the State Association for Land Reclamation, Water and Fisheries 'Belvodkhoz' (Государственное объединение по мелиорации земель, водному и рыбному хозяйству «Белводхоз»). It operates under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus and is headquartered in Minsk. The association traces its institutional lineage to 1932, when the Department of Land Reclamation and Water Management 'Belvodkhoz' was created within the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the Byelorussian SSR. Over the following decades the body was repeatedly reorganised, at times elevated to a ministry and at other times reduced to a main administration. In 1992 it was re-established as 'Belvodkhoz', in 1994 it became the 'Belmeliovodkhoz' concern, in 2011 a state production association of the same name, and in July 2013 it received its current name and status as a state association for land reclamation, water and fisheries. The association's scope covers the drainage and irrigation of agricultural land, the maintenance of reclamation and water-management infrastructure, and the management of pond fisheries. Its member organisations include fish farms (rybkhozy) that produce and sell live pond fish, and the association participates in public fairs such as 'Fish of Belarus'. Belvodgas is a state-owned entity rather than a listed company, and its activities are closely tied to national agricultural policy and food security.

The institutional history of Belvodgas is documented on its official website as a chronological record of the republican-level bodies responsible for land reclamation in Belarus. In 1932–1938, the Department of Land Reclamation and Water Management 'Belvodkhoz' operated under the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the Byelorussian SSR. From 1938 to March 1941, the body was the Department of Land Reclamation and Peat under the same commissariat. In March 1941 it was elevated to the People's Commissariat of Land Reclamation and Peat of the BSSR, which in April 1946 became the Ministry of Land Reclamation of the BSSR. Between April 1953 and March 1954 it was reduced to the Main Administration of Land Reclamation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Procurement of the BSSR, then restored as the Ministry of Land Reclamation from March 1954 to July 1957. From July 1957 to May 1961 it functioned as the Main Administration of Land Reclamation (from March 1960, the Main Administration of Land Reclamation and Repair-Technical and Reclamation Stations) of the Ministry of Agriculture of the BSSR. From May 1961 to October 1965 it was the Main Administration of Land Reclamation and Water Management under the Council of Ministers of the BSSR. From October 1965 to March 1992 it was the Ministry of Water Management and Land Restoration of the Republic of Belarus. In March 1992 it was reorganised as 'Belvodkhoz', and in September 1994 it became the 'Belmeliovodkhoz' concern. In April 2011 it was transformed into the State Production Association 'Belmeliovodkhoz', and in July 2013 it received its current name and status: the State Association for Land Reclamation, Water and Fisheries 'Belvodkhoz'. Throughout this period the organisation's core mission remained the drainage and irrigation of agricultural land, the maintenance of water-management infrastructure, and, in its later form, the management of pond fisheries. Its member organisations include fish farms that produce live pond fish and participate in public fairs such as 'Fish of Belarus', held for example in Vawkavysk in December 2019.

• 2019

  Participated in the 'Fish of Belarus-2019' fair in Vawkavysk on 21 December.

• 2013

  Received current name and status: State Association for Land Reclamation, Water and Fisheries 'Belvodkhoz'.

• 2011

  Transformed into the State Production Association 'Belmeliovodkhoz'.

• 1994

  Became the 'Belmeliovodkhoz' concern.

• 1992

  Reorganised as 'Belvodkhoz'.

• 1965

  Became the Ministry of Water Management and Land Restoration of the Republic of Belarus.

• 1961

  Became the Main Administration of Land Reclamation and Water Management under the Council of Ministers of the BSSR.

• 1960

  Renamed Main Administration of Land Reclamation and Repair-Technical and Reclamation Stations.

• 1957

  Became the Main Administration of Land Reclamation of the Ministry of Agriculture of the BSSR.

• 1954

  Restored as the Ministry of Land Reclamation of the BSSR.

• 1953

  Reduced to the Main Administration of Land Reclamation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Procurement of the BSSR.

• 1946

  Became the Ministry of Land Reclamation of the BSSR.

• 1941

  Elevated to the People's Commissariat of Land Reclamation and Peat of the BSSR.

• 1938

  Reorganised as the Department of Land Reclamation and Peat under the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR.

• 1932

  Department of Land Reclamation and Water Management 'Belvodkhoz' created under the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the Byelorussian SSR.

State-owned association managing Belarus's land reclamation, water and fisheries infrastructure under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

• Land reclamation services

• Water management infrastructure

• Pond fish farming

• Live pond fish

1. 1Государственное объединение по мелиорации земель, водному и рыбному хозяйству «Белводхоз»belvodhoz.by
2. 2Гісторыя меліярацыі | Государственное объединение по мелиорации земель, водному и рыбному хозяйству «Белводхоз»belvodhoz.by
3. 3Belvodgas - Wikidatawikidata.org