Rural deprivation as a challenge for agricultural sustainability in digital era

Abstract

Although rural poverty has been declining in recent decades, it remains a predominantly rural phenomenon. However, success in reducing poverty does not always lead to a reduction in social deprivation in rural areas or a narrowing of the gap between urban and rural areas. Inequalities in access to basic services and opportunities continue to be a problem for rural residents. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the plight of vulnerable rural populations, reducing incomes, limiting mobility and threatening livelihoods and food security. Available research suggests that people living in rural areas experience deprivation differently than urban residents. This confirms the continuing income stratification of urban and rural residents. More than 50% of rural households do not have a car. Under the restrictions of the self-isolation regime, this is a significant factor in social isolation. Low incomes and material deprivation do not allow such households to change this situation. Not even all wealthy families have access to high-speed Internet. This may be due to the underdevelopment of high-speed Internet infrastructure.