Agriculture of the Irkutsk Region: Hard Experience in the Industrial Region

Abstract

The article deals with historical and modern problems of agricultural development in the Irkutsk region in the context of industrial development of the region. Structural changes in the agricultural sector, the ratio of crop production and animal husbandry in the production of agricultural products are traced. The study found that within the framework of large-scale programs for the development of the productive forces of the Irkutsk region, the main attention was paid to industrial development, and agriculture was assigned the role of a secondary industry. This was manifested in the residual principle of financing the agricultural sector, its material base and the development of the social sphere in rural areas. Rural youth were involved in the construction and operation of production facilities, which led to a reduction of the population in the nearby villages and villages of the region. Special attention is paid to the problems of modern agriculture in the conditions of market transformations in the industry. On the basis of statistical material, the characteristics of the main categories of farms are given: agricultural organizations, farms and households. The analysis shows the leading role of private households in the total volume of agricultural production. At the same time, there is still an insignificant share of farms in the goods produced. The demographic consequences of the destruction of the state-farm-collective-farm system, manifested in a reduction in the number of villagers and a large shortage of agricultural workers, are particularly noted.