Institutional transformation of land-legal regulation in the context of depopulation of rural areas

Issue № 7, 2026, article № 10, pages 106-113

Section: Development of rural territories

Language: Russian

Original language title: ИНСТИТУЦИОНАЛЬНАЯ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯ ЗЕМЕЛЬНО-ПРАВОВОГО РЕГУЛИРОВАНИЯ В УСЛОВИЯХ ДЕПОПУЛЯЦИИ СЕЛЬСКИХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ

Keywords: LAND LAW, DEPOPULATION, INSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENTS, INSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY, TERRITORIAL SUSTAINABILITY INDEX, FAR EASTERN HECTARE, FAR EASTERN MORTGAGE, RURAL AREAS

Abstract: This article addresses the institutional gap between static land law norms and the dynamics of demographic processes in rural areas. Using the Far Eastern Federal District as an example, it is shown that the existing legal model, while «demographically neutral», is unable to effectively address the challenges of depopulation, leading to irrational use of land resources and increased spatial inequality. The empirical basis of the study is the results of a survey of specialists in land management, property matters, territorial administration, cadastral work, and other fields, conducted by the author, as well as data from Rosreestr on the implementation of the «Far Eastern and Arctic Mortgage» program. This paper proposes a set of specific institutional public policy instruments adapted to the conditions of peripheral agricultural regions: the introduction of differentiated interbudgetary transfers based on the Territorial Sustainability Index (TSI), the creation of a «rural residency» institution with package solutions for new settlers, the legalization of flexible forms of employment through «smart» migration and labor contracts, and the development of mechanisms for the «institutional assembly» of disparate support programs. The proposed model creates a new legal agenda for the sustainable development of rural areas. The proposed model formulates a new approach to legal regulation of sustainable rural development. The study's results confirm that overcoming depopulation requires a transition from formal land management to adaptive management that integrates demographic factors into legal mechanisms for land use. The presented findings can be used to adjust state programs (such as «Far Eastern Hectare» and «Comprehensive Development of Rural Areas»), as well as in legislative efforts to improve urban planning and land legislation.

Authors: Imideeva Irina Vladimirovna, Vanchikova Elena Nikolaevna