Differences in the Quality of Life of the Rural Population between Regions and Ways to Overcome them

Abstract

An important condition for economic growth in the agro-industrial complex and the rural economy is the mitigation of differentiation between regions in the level and quality of life of  the  rural  population.  Significant  level  of  differentiation  between  regions  prevents  the formation of a single economic space of the country, including the creation of a single agrifood market, rational specialization of regions, generates excessive migration flows of the population, which negatively affects the staffing of agriculture and the entire rural economy. The article analyzes the level of differentiation between regions for such important indicators of the quality of life of the rural population as the total income of a household member, the unemployment rate, the share of the poor population, the share of comfortable housing, and life expectancy. It is concluded that there are significant territorial differences, as well as an increase in interregional differentiation for 2016–2021/22 for most of these indicators. Measures to overcome territorial differences are substantiated, including the wider use of a normative approach in rural policy, improving the mechanisms for the participation of constituent entities of the Russian Federation in state rural development programs, and state support for depressed rural regions.