THE RUSSIAN LANDSCAPE OF RURAL UNEMPLOYMENT

DOI 10.32651/268-94

Issue № 8, 2026, article № 12, pages 94-101

Section: Staffing

Language: Russian

Original language title: РОССИЙСКИЙ ЛАНДШАФТ СЕЛЬСКОЙ БЕЗРАБОТИЦЫ

Keywords: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, RURAL POPULATION, RURAL LABOR MARKET, REGIONAL DIFFERENTIATION, PERSONNEL SHORTAGE, YOUTH

Abstract: Rural areas have vast resource and economic potential, but their sustainable development can be ensured only if labor is used efficiently. The polynomial model of rural unemployment allowed us to establish three periods that are determined by destructive demographic processes, changes in demand in the rural labor market, the influence of covid lockdown, etc. A feature of the rural unemployment landscape in Russia is significant regional differentiation. By region, the unemployment rate varies from 30.9% to 1.0%. The oversupply of labor absorbs the informal sector. 1.9 million people are employed in agriculture in the informal sector, of which almost 76% are in rural settlements. At the present stage, the vector of rural unemployment is directed towards stabilization, largely due to informal employment. The villagers are motivated to work without formal employment, which is a sign of the precarity of their work. The disparity in the payment of urban and rural labor also indicates the precarious nature of rural employment. In 2024, for example, wages in agriculture amounted to 67.2% of the Russian average. Another specific feature of the village is the coexistence of a significant proportion of the most able–bodied villagers in the structure of the rural unemployed and the shortage of personnel. According to various estimates, the shortage of personnel is up to 500 thousand people, which is aggravated by the outflow of young people for various reasons. Among them, the proportion of unemployed is high, therefore, employment and career prospects are illusory for the young, as well as unattractive rural work. The way out is to popularize agricultural professions, deepen the regional approach in developing measures to diversify the rural economy, support farming and self-employment, eliminate administrative barriers to the sale of products, and expand access to natural, financial, and information resources.

Authors: Kalashnikova Irina Vladimirovna, Filippova Kseniia Vladimirovna