RESEARCH OF MAIN APPROACHES TO ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

Summary. In recent years, the development of rural areas of Ukraine is characterized by extreme instability due to a number of socio-economic problems. Modern realities have led to a crisis in rural areas, lower living standards of the rural population, increased urbanization, falling prestige of agricultural work and the outflow of personnel. In this regard, one of the main goals of public policy and a priority of the first level should be the formation of a model of sustainable and efficient development of rural areas. Modern rural areas are facing the search for a new ideological base, the conceptual provisions of which would allow, using the internal resources of the area, to diversify the economy and improve the quality parameters of the functioning of rural municipalities. In this regard, the search, justification and intensification of agricultural-related economic activities can be considered as a kind of «driver» of their sustainable development. The current political, economic and social situation has left its mark on the nature, features and sustainability of rural development, which characterizes the relevance of research in this area. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the priority approach to sustainable development of rural areas in Ukraine The study used such research methods as comparative, monographic and abstract-logical. As a result of this work, the theoretical foundations and conceptual apparatus of the category «economic growth», the conceptual basis of the category «development» were studied. In order to clarify the approach to the identification and evaluation of development criteria, the distinctive characteristics (features, characteristics) of this process are identified. The application of a conceptual approach to the study of a set of measures for the development of a platform for sustainable development made it possible to determine the criteria and features of this process. As a result of the assessment of different interpretations of the definition of sustainable (sustainable) development of rural areas, three main approaches to its provision were identified: systemic, procedural, situational. It is proposed to use the third approach – situational in the management of territories to achieve sustainable development. Within the situational approach, the process of territorial management should take into account specific management techniques to achieve economic growth in rural areas. The specific set of circumstances and the set strategic goal of the rural area should shape the management decisions of local governments, depending on the situation. The situational approach to rural development management complements the first two approaches and allows decisions to be made that ensure the best achievement of development targets.