The evolution of economic analysis demonstrates a shift from studying the firm as a key entity to considering more complex forms. In this context, the concept of a regional cluster acquires particular importance in the framework of developing economic development strategies. Currently, it is recognized that the cluster is a key instrument of regional economic development. This issue is extremely relevant for our country, as it touches upon the topic of import substitution and increasing the competitiveness of the domestic economy. Despite the recognized potential of clusters, the theoretical basis of the concept remains incomplete, and its practical implementation faces systemic obstacles. The key problem is the lack of a unified regulatory framework, which is manifested in the fragmentation and inconsistency of legislative acts. In this regard, it seems necessary to carry out work on the legislative consolidation of clear criteria and classification of cluster types, which will create the basis for their effective functioning and government support. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research was the fundamental provisions of M. Porter's theory of clusters and his provisions on the concept of regional development, as well as the scientific works of other scientists, current legislative and regulatory acts. Monographic, abstract-logical, systematic, comparative, etc. are used as methods of conducting economic research. methods.
The objective of the study is to identify the parameters of agricultural production's contribution to the Russian Federation's GDP, as well as the level of fiscal burden, which allows substantiating the areas for improving the current mechanism of state support for the Russian agro-industrial complex. The use of such scientific methods as comparative studies, analysis, synthesis, deduction, econometric tools for scientific interpretation of empirical data allowed us to ensure a high level of reliability of the final results and conclusions. The authors established the main indicators of economic activity of agricultural producers in the Russian Federation in 2002-2023, the dynamics of the share of agricultural production (section A of OKVED) in the Russian Federation's GDP in the specified period, the dynamics of extended taxation of agricultural producers in the Russian Federation, and calculated the indicators of the fiscal burden on agricultural producers in the Russian Federation over the observation period. A gradual reduction in the contribution of agricultural production to GDP in absolute and relative terms was established, caused by a set of factors contributing to a decrease in the profitability of business entities operating in the sphere of agricultural production; Increasing fiscal burden on agricultural producers. The current situation, in which taxation of real agricultural production is growing at a rate significantly exceeding both GDP growth and sectoral development indicators, increases the risks of socioeconomic destabilization in the medium and long term. Therefore, one of the primary measures of state regulation of agricultural production is the regulatory fixation of fiscal burden indicators at a level that allows Russian agricultural producers to effectively operate both within the Russian Federation and in a highly competitive global market.
The subject of research is the problems of the development of the traditional branch of agriculture - beekeeping. Over the past 20 years, there has been a significant reduction in the production of beekeeping products. The problem of "extinction" of rural settlements is quite acute, due to a number of reasons, one of which is limited employment opportunities. The aim of the study is to investigate the problems and prospects of the revival of beekeeping as one of the factors of sustainable development of rural areas. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set and solved: the importance of the beekeeping industry was characterized; identified the main social problems of sustainable rural development; developed measures aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of rural settlements; the reserves for the development of the beekeeping industry in the Ryazan region are justified. The working hypothesis of the study consists in the scientific assumption that in modern conditions the development of the beekeeping industry, on the one hand, makes it possible to increase the degree of sustainable development of agribusiness as a whole, and, on the other hand, creates ample opportunities for increasing the dynamic development of rural areas and solving social problems. Methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, observation and economic and mathematical modeling were used. The results of the study allow us to conclude that the practical significance of the work lies in the formation of solutions to the problem of sustainable development, both of the beekeeping industry itself and of the socio-economic development of rural areas in general. It is recommended to create an agritourism complex, an integral part of which will be familiarization with the life of bee families and the production of beekeeping products. This will create additional jobs for both essential workers during the off-season, as well as for pensioners, students and people with disabilities. The feasibility of creating beekeeping tourism centers will allow solving the problems of increasing the income of the rural population, the vocational orientation of rural schoolchildren to acquire skills related to natural objects, and deepening and expanding their knowledge of biology.
Uninterrupted and sustainable provision of milk and dairy products to the country's population largely determines the health of not only individuals, but also the health of the nation as a whole, acts as a guarantee of food security and, of course, is a sign of a strong state. This article presents the results of a comprehensive author's study of the assessment of certain aspects of the level and condition of dairy cattle breeding in enterprises of the agricultural sector; monitoring the production and processing of milk and dairy products. Economic and statistical methods are used to assess the degree of influence of milk production in the agricultural sector of the economy on the dynamics of the processing (dairy) industry in the Saratov region over the past 12 years through a system of indicators of dynamics, intensity, and comparison. The factors determining the level and possible prospects of increasing the production of milk and dairy products are considered. The indicators characterizing the level of per capita production and consumption, the level of self-sufficiency of the region and the economic accessibility of dairy products for the population are presented. Problematic issues have been identified in the formation of resources and the use of milk and dairy products, dairy cattle breeding in the context of certain categories of farms, namely: reduction of gross yields, the number of cows in the main herd, a very significant proportion of imported raw materials and dairy products. A number of aspects are identified that can influence the adoption of an objective decision on the need to increase, expand production, increase the share of exports, and accelerate import substitution. The analytical tools and research results described in the article may be useful to agricultural and processing industry authorities.
The article presents an analysis of the current state and development prospects of beef cattle farming in the Republic of Buryatia. The aim of the study was to assess industry-specific problems and develop strategic directions for their solution based on spatial analysis and data on breeding development. The research methodology included economic-statistical, comparative, and spatial analysis of data for the period 2015–2024. The results revealed persistent stagnation in the industry: the total cattle population remains at 340 thousand head, while agricultural organizations recorded a 28% reduction. Meat consumption (63 kg per capita) is 17% below the medical norm. A critical issue is the 20% reduction in the breeding stock of beef breeds over the past five years, which undermines the genetic potential of the industry. Based on the coefficient of forage land use intensity (K), a grouping of municipalities was carried out, identifying significant inter-district differentiation. The implementation of the proposed set of measures will create a balanced and competitive beef cattle industry, contributing to food security and sustainable socio-economic development of the republic.
The article systematizes the results of theoretical and practical research aimed at identifying the directions of formation of the ecological potential of recreational areas in the context of its significance for the development of regional socio-economic systems. It is noted that the introduction of sustainable economy principles relevant for further positive transformations of the state and society is impossible without achieving the preservation of local ecosystems of recreational areas. Urbanization of such areas is one of the factors that increase the negative technogenic and anthropogenic impact. It is noted that recreational areas of the Krasnodar Territory have sufficient resources for the formation and further development of ecological potential. The implementation of greening of the functioning of most socio-economic subsystems is the most important factor in increasing the efficiency of regional development. Local economic systems of many coastal areas of the Krasnodar Territory are focused on the development of recreational activities as the main direction of formation of the municipal product. The analysis of a number of indicators indicates a deterioration in the ecological state of the territories of coastal cities in the region. Thus, despite rapid technological progress and the possibility of using eco-oriented technologies, the ecosystems of coastal cities are characterized by deterioration of the state of atmospheric air and water resources, which worsens the state of the ecosystems of the territories and in the strategic perspective negatively affects their socio-economic development. As measures to improve the efficiency of organizational mechanisms for the implementation of state agrarian policy for the formation of the ecological potential of recreational areas, the authors propose the development of a system of indicators for the effectiveness of greening of recreational areas at the micro and macro levels
The study of the X-factor of rural development, as a concept that reflects the totality of external and intraregional social components of the balanced development of the most important economic resource of the country and the region, makes it possible to identify the deep relationship between the socio-economic changes taking place in rural areas today with the transformation of socio-cultural values, traditions, norms of behavior, beliefs and communicative processes that give people's relationships significance and meaning. Unfortunately, in modern studies of socio-economic systems, the study of this relationship, its prerequisites and consequences is given little attention and is not fully aware of the fact that social, economic, cultural and communication processes are a single whole, which is ultimately determined by the balance of interaction of these components among themselves. The purpose of the study is to study the components of the X-factor in the development of rural areas based on the materials of local studies and to prove its constantly growing importance in the context of the ongoing cardinal transformations in technology, economy and society. The objectives of the study are to identify the problems that give rise to the situation of X-inefficiency in rural development; develop possible ways to overcome them, taking into account the processes of technological, economic, cultural revival and approaches to their implementation, when analysing the possibility and prerequisites for the transition to X-efficiency of balanced rural development.
The development of rural areas and agriculture are interrelated, and the results of their development indicate strategic planning problems. Among the various areas of diversification, agritourism is the most significant for the development of agriculture and rural areas, combining the development of the territory and production into a single system and creating a synergistic effect. As an additional type of activity of agricultural producers, it is not a substitute, but stimulating the main production. This article presents forecasts for the development of agriculture and rural areas of the study region (using the example of the Kostroma region), taking into account the factor of their diversification based on agricultural tourism. Two types of forecasts have been developed: inertial and scenario. Inertial forecasts are built using trends based on the assumption that the prevailing trends are unchanged. Scenario forecasts take into account the impact of the development of agritourism on the indicators of agriculture and rural areas. Inertial and scenario forecasts of the main indicative indicators at different levels of the economic system in the studied region give different results. The developed forecasts can make it possible to carry out program-targeted planning, assess the effectiveness of the implementation of state regional programs, and adjust control actions.
This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the material and social well-being of professionally motivated workers living and working in rural areas. The relevance of the study stems from the need to address the challenges of balanced territorial development in Russia and the retention of human capital in rural areas in the face of demographic challenges and digitalization. Professionally motivated workers are viewed as key individuals whose decision to work and live in rural areas directly depends on their sense of well-being. The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between professional motivation and material and social well-being, as well as to compare these indicators among various professional and qualification groups of rural workers (managers, specialists, skilled workers, etc.). The empirical basis for the study is data from a representative sociological survey (N=1215) conducted by the Institute of Agrarian Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences in rural areas of the Saratov Region (N = 1215). The scientific novelty lies in bridging the gap between the study of professional motivation and well-being in isolation from the territorial context. The results of the study have practical significance for the formation of targeted socio-economic policies aimed at retaining motivated specialists in rural areas and improving their quality of life.
This paper examines the features of the transformation of global agrifood systems (AFS). These features include the active development of the high-tech sector alongside the persistence of the traditional sector; glocalization; vulnerability to climate, geopolitical, and other shocks; increased state intervention in the functioning of AFS; and the modification of income distribution disparities among AFS participants, including between women and men. It is shown that global challenges related to low levels of food security persist, indicating insufficient efficiency of AFS. The impact of AFS transformation on the income distribution among its participants is considered from a gender perspective. It is substantiated that the transformation of global AFS perpetuates income disparities between women and men, driven by the digital divide, differing levels of access to material, informational, and financial resources, the disproportionately high impact of climate change and disasters on women's incomes, and the persistently high share of unpaid labor performed by women, among other factors. Specific features of income disparity between women and men in the Russian AFS are identified. These include lower wages in this sector compared to the economy as a whole and a relatively smaller gender income gap compared to other economic sectors, albeit one that aligns with global averages; as well as a lower concentration of Russian women in the informal economy compared to global averages. The paper justifies the need to revise economic and social policy tools at both global and national levels to overcome structural barriers, formalize employment, improve women's working conditions in AFS, and provide them with targeted support.