Agriculture is one of the main branches of the material production in the republic. Today it is represented by 235 small and medium agricultural enterprises and 1133 farm enterprises. The agricultural area makes 1658 thousand hectares, including 1086 thousand hectares of arable land.

The republic has 3 natural economic areas. Soils in the republic are diverse. Combination of leached and podzoled black fertile soils with complex of grey forest soils is typical. The total area of arable lands is made up of black fertile soils (44.3%), forest soils (45.2%), soddy-podzolic soils (5.4%). Livestock number in all enterprises on January 1 st 2011 made up: 298.7 thousand heads of cattle (including 103.5 thousand cows), 310.6 thousand pigs, 41.8 thousand sheep and goats. The main breeds of cattle are Simmental, Red-and- Parti-colored, Black-and-Parti-colored; pigs – Large White, Landrace, Duroc.

Livestock number in all enterprises on October 1 st 2011 made up: 311.5 thousand heads of cattle (including 105.3 thousand cows), 359.6 thousand pigs, 45.7 thousand sheep and goats. The main breeds of cattle are Simmental, Red-and- Parti-colored, Black-and-Parti-colored; pigs – Large White, Landrace, Duroc.
Cattle and poultry productivity in 2011 is as follows: the average milk-yield from one cow is 3448 kg., the average egg production of laying hens is 232 pcs.
Production volume of main agricultural products in all types of enterprises has made: grain (in weight after processing) – 1122 thousand tons, sugar-beet – 805 thousand tons, potatoes – 323 thousand tons, cattle and poultry (in live weight) – 90,7 thousand tons, milk – 373 thousand tons, eggs – 955,2 million pcs.
Stock of machines and tractors of agricultural enterprises is represented by modern multipurpose machinery – 3.6 thousand tractors, 1.1 thousand grain combine harvesters, 1.3 load vehicles (estimated), 296 forage harvesters.
There are 22 thousand people engaged in agriculture.
The food industry production volume in 2011 made more than 17.6 billion rubles. The branch structure of food industry in the republic is as follows: meat – 29,3%, dairy – 23.2%, brewing and non-alcoholic beverages – 21.2%, confectionery – 9.2%, alcohol and distilling – 6.0%, sugar – 4,4%, milling – 1.2%.
Food industry includes 4 meat-processing plants, 15 milkplants, 2 confectionery plants, 7 alcohol and distillery companies, sugar plant, cannery plant, flour milling, grain-collecting companies, etc.

Agrarian science of the republic is presented with agrarian institute of MorSU named after N.P.Ogarev, Institute of mechanics and energy production of MorSU named after N.P.Ogarev, Mordovian agriculture research institute, Mordovian institute of refresher courses for agrarian business, 6 specialized secondary educational state institutions (Kemlya and Krasnoslobodsk agrarian colleges, Temnikov agriculture and Kovilkino construction college, Torbeyevo college of meet and dairy industry, Krasnoslobodsk zoological and veterinary college), 5 agrarian colleges (Insar, Zubova Polyana, Dubyonki, Atyashevo, Ardatov)