Spatial distribution and reconstruction of rural settlements in provincial border areas: A case study of Wuqing District, China

1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction of the problem The last thirty years on the international agenda there is an acute problem of sustainable development of the world civilization, separate countries and local subsystems, which include rural areas. They take 2/3 of the territory in Russia and are occupied by 26% of the population. With a rich potential (natural, historical, cultural and other), rural areas perform numerous national economic functions, including those which do not have the proper government support (for example, maintenance and improvement of the potential of nature, or social control over the vast sparsely populated areas of the country). However, the critical condition of rural areas is recorded almost on the entire territory of the country; it is reflected in the low living standards of the rural population, the outflow of personnel from agriculture, depopulation of rural settlements. It leads to the lack of domestic production and increased food imports, depopulation of rural areas, which ultimately hinders the achievement of the main objectives of the agrarian policy of the country. 1.2 Importance of the problem On the government level in Russia the following documents are dedicated to the solution of the problems of sustainable development of rural areas: the Concept of sustainable development of rural areas of the Russian Federation for the period up to (2010), the Federal Target Program Sustainable development of rural areas 2014-2017 and for the period up to 2020 (2013), Strategy for sustainable development of rural areas of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 (2015). Since 2003 the implementation of the federal target program Social development of rural areas till 2013 has been carried out, which has contributed to house construction and some development of the manufacturing infrastructure, however the necessary level of social comfort of living of the rural population has not been achieved and the negative processes continue. This shows that the measures applied by the government do not fully consider the diversity and complexity of the conditions and processes of development of rural areas, individual events are scattered, not systemized, and don't have stimulating character for self-development of rural communities. The theory of the development of rural areas is at the stage of its formation, since scientific studies are actively conducted for only last five years, and until recently, the predominant focus was on the development of agriculture and the social and labor relationship in the industry. There are practically no scientific studies on the rural settlements as the most important spatial ecological social economic formations, representing them as a system consisting of the population--the keeper of the unique traditions and culture, environment, economy, ecology and social sphere. In addition, Russian practice needs methodological support of management for sustainable rural development due to imperfections of the applied tools. The study represented in the article is dedicated to this. 1.3 Background/Review of literature Studies of sustainable development of rural areas are carried out in the framework of sustainable social and economic development in balance with the environment, proposed by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development and stated in the report Our common future (Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, 2008). The approaches developed by the international community on agricultural policy and sustainable development of rural areas have a great importance. Thus, a systematic approach by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provides a combination of different directions and mechanisms of action to stimulate the overall economic and social development, the growth of the rural economy, development of market relations and institutional environment of the market, the rational use of natural resources and environmental protection. …

Subject of study. Socio-economic directions and tools for improving the mechanism of sustainable development of rural areas. The aim of the study. Substantiation of the tools of the stable socio-economic development of agricultural territories, development of scientific and methodological directions of its improvement and definition of effective economic mechanisms of its realization. Research methods. The theoretical and methodological basis for the study of the practice of the development of agricultural territories, the normative and legal acts of the state bodies of the Ukrainian. In the course of research on the following methods: analytical, abstract-logical, monographic, scientific-constructive and others. Results of work. The essence of socio-economic development of rural areas is revealed, aspects of its sustainable development are highlighted, approaches to state regulation of socio-economic development of rural areas are outlined, the economic environment of functioning of rural areas is revealed, the mechanism of public-private partnership as a direction of rural development is outlined, the algorithm for the formation of socio-economic development of rural territories as a system consisting of a set of legal, organizational, economic, financial and budgetary components (tools, forms, methods) aimed at the effective use of natural, labor, material and financial resources of rural areas in the process of their development. The directions of ensuring sustainable development of rural areas are considered as institutional factors for ensuring economic stability and social well-being. It is determined that the purpose of forming an effective mechanism for sustainable socio-economic development of rural areas is to increase the competitiveness of agriculture in Ukraine, increase employment and living standards of the rural population, improve their living conditions, develop engineering infrastructure and social sphere in rural areas, improve the demographic situation in rural areas, protect the environment, preserve and reproduce used land and other natural resources, development of local self-government bodies and civil society institutions in rural areas. Priority areas and tools for sustainable socio-economic development of rural areas have been identified: innovation and investment mechanism, which provides for the creation of a favorable investment climate; technical and technological modernization of agriculture, development and implementation of new technologies; diversification of the rural economy and increasing the business activity of the rural population; development of various forms of organization of small and medium-sized businesses as the most important source of innovative growth of the rural economy; rational involvement in economic turnover and increasing the efficiency of the use of natural, material and human resources in rural areas; creation of modern social, engineering and transport infrastructure in rural areas; strengthening the scientific base for the development of rural areas.

The article is devoted to the analysis of organizational and legal regulation of sustainable and social development of rural areas and communities through tourism. The significance of rural green tourism is revealed as a tool for income diversification, preservation of human capital, and activation of the local economy, which, in turn, ensures the development of rural areas and contributes to the socio-economic growth of communities. The current legislation of Ukraine, in particular, the Laws «On Tourism» and «On Private Peasant Farming» as well as strategic documents, has been analyzed. The study found that the lack of harmonization of provisions in the legislation and strategic acts related to the legal regulation of the tourism sector leads to inconsistencies in terms and concepts in regulatory acts, which undermines legal certainty. A comparison and analysis of the implementation plans of the Strategy for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas 2024 and the Concept for the Development of Rural Areas 2015 was conducted. It was concluded that the Action Plan for the Implementation of the 2024 Strategy for 2025-2027 demonstrates a decrease in the level of detail of instruments and mechanisms for rural development. Insufficient attention to rural green tourism as a diversified type of activity and the lack of clear procedures for its integration into local strategies of territorial communities were identified. The study emphasizes that one of the key organizational and legal directions for ensuring the strengthening and sustainable development of rural areas and the socio-economic progress of communities is clustering in the tourism sector. It is concluded that the legal basis for the functioning of clusters in tourism remains undefined due to the absence of legal regulation for clusters as associations, which may become a barrier to obtaining state support.Attention is drawn to the need to introduce an effective mechanism of state support in the form of free or partially paid consulting (advisory) services combined with the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) and the State Agrarian Register.

China’s rural revitalization strategy has entered a new stage of development, in which optimizing the layout of rural settlements constitutes both a critical component and an urgent task for promoting integrated urban–rural development. Important ecological function areas play a vital role in maintaining ecological security; however, research focusing on the evaluation and optimization of rural settlement suitability within these regions remains limited, thereby constraining their sustainable development. Accordingly, this paper selects Shiyan City, situated within the core water source area of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project, as a case study. From an ecological perspective, a suitability evaluation system for rural settlements is developed, specifically tailored to important ecological function areas. This system integrates ecological factors including geological hazards, vegetation coverage, soil and water conservation, and soil erosion. Utilizing GIS spatial analysis and the minimum cumulative resistance model, the study assesses the suitability of rural settlements within these important ecological function areas. Furthermore, it proposes corresponding optimization types and strategies for rural settlements in such areas. The findings indicate the following: (1) The rural settlements in the study area demonstrate a “large dispersed settlements and small clustered settlements” distribution pattern, exhibiting an overall high-density agglomeration, though their internal layout remains fragmented and disordered due to geographical and ecological constraints. (2) The spatial comprehensive resistance values in the study area exhibit significant heterogeneity, with a general pattern of lower values in the north and higher values in the south. The region was categorized into five suitability levels: high yield, highly suitable, generally suitable, less suitable and unsuitable. The highly suitable areas, despite their limited spatial extent, support the highest density of rural settlements. In contrast, unsuitable areas occupy a substantially larger proportion of the territory, reaching 46.83%. These areas are strongly constrained by topographic and ecological factors, limiting their potential for development, and the spatial layout of villages requires further optimization, with emphasis placed on ecological conservation and adaptive sustainability. (3) Rural settlements are categorized into four optimized types: Urban–rural integration settlements, primarily located in high yield areas, are incorporated into urban development plans after optimization. Adjusted and improved settlements, mainly in highly suitable areas, enhance service quality and stimulate economic vitality post-optimization. Relocation and renovation settlements, including those in generally suitable and less suitable areas, achieve concentrated living and improved ecological livability after optimization. Restricted development settlements, predominantly in unsuitable areas, focus on ecological conservation and regional ecological security post-optimization. This study integrates ecological function protection factors with spatial optimization zoning for rural settlements in the study area, providing scientific reference for enhancing residential safety and ecological security for rural residents in important ecological function areas.

This study provides a multidimensional analysis of sustainable socio-economic development and its challenges in the rural areas of Ukraine. The methodology of realization of sustainable development’s conceptual provisions was created. The advantages of using indicative assessment at the regional level were justified. The methodical approach how to define the indicators of sustainable development (including economic, socio-demographic, labor and environmental domains) of rural areas was proposed. Statistical data, experts’ and rural residents’ evaluation were used to assess the level of socio-economic development of rural areas. The proposed system of indicators is applicable not only to the rural areas of the whole region, but also to its different parts. The tracking model is based on the consistent use of economic, mathematical and expert methods: SWOT-analysis, factor, cluster and discriminant analysis. The construction of the dendrogram allows to determine the type of representative for each cluster. The modeling of sustainable socio-economic development for each sample is applicable to all areas within same cluster. A representative sample from each cluster makes it possible to identify the presence in the region of the so-called "points of growth" and to forecast their development. Two scenarios are considered: maximum (the share of GRP accumulation growth 21.2%) and moderate (the share of GRP accumulation growth 10.6%). <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">GDP</span> Gross Domestic Product growth will differentiate by the type of activity: cluster 1 (agriculture, hunting and forestry) 13% increase; cluster 2 (trade, service and household services) 21% increase; cluster 3 (tourism and international cooperation) 18% increase; cluster 4 (processing industry) 8% increase. Therefore, the using of key indicators for monitoring the sustainable development of rural areas provides an opportunity to take into account the specifics of sustainable development of different specialization branches of rural areas that will support high economic and social growth in the future.

Rural settlement development in mountainous areas is the key to eliminating global hunger and poverty. The spatial reconstruction of rural settlements in mountainous areas can promote rural development in mountainous areas. In this study, the Panxi area—a typical mountainous area in China—was chosen as the study area. The driving forces for the spatial reconstruction of rural settlements in mountainous areas were explored from the perspective of peasant households by combining participatory rural appraisal (PRA) with structural equation modeling (SEM). Results showed that: (1) 62.03% of the 266 peasant households included were willing to have spatial reconstruction, indicating that most peasant households in mountainous areas have a very strong intention towards the spatial reconstruction of rural settlements. (2) Infrastructure, medical conditions, living environment, farming culture, and dietary habits significantly influenced the reconstruction intention of peasant households. In contrast, development opportunities, place attachment, language, and living mode each had a slight influence. (3) Geological disasters were the main driving force for the spatial reconstruction of rural settlements in mountainous areas, whilst the driving force of living cohesion was the smallest. This study provides insights for future planning and construction of rural settlements in the Panxi area and spatial reconstruction practices. It has important practical significance for overcoming poverty and realizing rural revitalization in mountainous areas.

1. INTRODUCTION Today, sustainability of rural and urban settlements and their population in developing world is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. However, today due to development of urbanization, the rural areas have undergone many changes . These changes have been concurrent with the developing process of urbanization and unorganized expansion of cities on the one hand, and the decreasing significance of rural settlements on the other hand. Therefore, considering the importance of an appropriate new model of living and in line with the sustainability of rural settlements, this paper aims to investigate the capabilities of creating an urban village in the villages of Jagharq, in rural district of Torghabeh, Binalood County. Accordingly, the main research questions are: What are the opportunities in creating an urban village in the villages of the study area? What are the weaknesses and threats constituted by villages in creating a model of an urban village? 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The experience of many developed and developing countries of the world suggest that the plans for physical development of rural areas are based on territorial planning approach and in the context of sustainable development, and the link between different aspects of sustainability in planning for sustainable development in rural areas is quite important. Nevertheless, physical environment provides suitable conditions for sustainable development, and the adoption of a systematic approach in physical planning with regard to approaches to environmentalism, conservation and society is of critical importance. In this regard, the increasing trend in construction in the suburban areas and in the heart of nature in the form of villas and housing estates especially in rural highlands of the country, shows the necessity of developing a model of settlements which have the required sustainability in development, which is well applicable in all the economic, social, cultural, political and physical-environmental conditions. On the other hand, to improve the material and spiritual well-being and the quality of life both at present and in future, are the primary objectives of achieving sustainable development. It seems that this attitude could be reproduced in the form of urban villages, which maintains both modern and traditional concepts common in the history of the Iranian neighborhoods. To adopt a model of urban villages which benefit the guidelines and control of new constructions, could be compatible with the characteristics of the rural environment through defining the specific principles and criteria, and it would play an effective role in preserving the natural environment and quality of life in rural settlements, and it would establish peace and order in urban settlements of the country. 3. METHODOLOGY This study is an applied one which has used descriptive-survey method for data collection. The population of the study consisted of rural households living in the village of Jagharq, which is estimated to be 767 rural households based on available statistics. The sample size, according to Cochran logical formula and using random systematic method is 227. In order to analyze the opportunities and challenges in creating an urban village in the village of Jagharq in a descriptive-field research, the opportunities and challenges were categorized in the form of four components (economic, social, environmental and physical), and 32 items. Prior to filling the questionnaires, the experts in this field confirmed its reliability. The main tool for gathering the data and measuring the variables, was the questionnaire designed by the researcher. The data were processed and analyzed using SPSS software package, in the form of statistical method of factor analysis. 4. DISCUSSION In the present study, to assess the opportunities and challenges in creating an urban village in the village of Jagharq, were measured in 35 variables in the form of four components (economic, social, environmental, and physical) using factor analysis model. As the results show, the opportunities and barriers to the creation of urban villages, were categorized separately and in three and four factors respectively. The results showed that -opportunities accounted for 70.94 percent of the total variance among which physical-environmental factor with 42.83 percent of the eigenvalue, is known as the most important -opportunity. After that, economic and social aspects, account for respectively 14.26 % and 13.85 % of the variance of eigenvalue of the second and third factors. On the other hand, the variance of all the challenges is equal to 69.03 percent. The physical-environmental challenges with 26.34 % and the variance of eigenvalue, were the most important challenges in the study area. After that, the economic challenge (17.03%), the physical-environmental challenge (14.41%) and social challenges accounting for 11.23% of the variance of the eigenvalue, are in the next ranks. The results of the factor rotation, in Varimax method show that from 35 variables included in factor analysis, only 21 variables that have a factor loading of higher than 0.5% have remained.

The chapter examines the legal category “sustainable development of rural areas” and gives its authors’ definition. The authors suggest meaning by sustainable development of rural areas the regular economic activities on agricultural lands, providing growth of agricultural production, under condition that social rights of residents of rural settlements are properly guaranteed, as well as measures protecting the environment on agricultural land (including measures for farmland fertility) are taken in rural settlements as well. As a result of the study, it is noted that the transition of rural areas to sustainable development is hampered by the lack of an efficient system of interdepartmental interaction and coordination of specific issues related to the development of rural areas. In comparison with developed countries, government support for agriculture in Russia is significantly lower, what can be considered as one of the factors of a low profitability of agriculture. Poor support limits the possibilities of modernization and innovative development of the industry, negatively affects wages of workers in the industry and the tax base of local budgets. The authors study the problems and prospects for the development of agricultural tourism as one of the most important elements of transition of rural areas to sustainable development, identifying the reasons for its insufficiently rapid and effective development. This chapter also shows that the Concept of Sustainable Development of Rural Areas can be a tool to mitigate the severity of social, economic, and environmental problems in rural areas, taking into account the interests of citizens, business, and the government. A complex and multi-level system of criteria and indicators for sustainable development of rural areas is required for an efficient realization of this concept offered in this chapter.KeywordsSustainable developmentRural areasRural populationAgricultural land

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.

The problems of sustainable development have been actively investigated by the scientific community. However, due to the difficulties of implementing this concept in practice, the focus of research is increasingly shifted to the study of certain aspects affecting the sustainable development of territories. In particular, this concerns the sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas, especially in socio-demographic, economic, and institutional aspects. The purpose of the article is to develop a model of strategic priorities for the sustainable development of rural areas in Kazakhstan until 2030. The article presents a model of strategic priorities for sustainable development of rural areas in the East Kazakhstan region according to socio-demographic and economic vectors, as well as institutional support with appropriate strategic goals, indicators, and target values. Solving the problem of sustainable development of rural territories is a long-term task, which can be achieved through the development of the economy of territories. The transition of rural territories to a sustainable development strategy will ensure effective farming, orientation to high standards of social protection of the rural population, multifunctional use of rural territories, preservation of the quality of the natural environment, and adaptation of institutional mechanisms to the functioning of rural agriculture and rural development.

Improving service accessibility and equity for sustainable development goals without newly facilities by rural settlement reconstruction

The Sustainable Development Goals, declared by the UN in 2016, which were adopted for the period until 2030, determine the vectors of sustainable economic growth, fair social development, comprehensive affirmation of equality and justice, as well as ecological balance of the environment. Ukraine joined the Sustainable Development Goals and continues to implement them at the national level. The article is devoted to the justification of problematic aspects and prospects of sustainable development of rural areas of Ukraine. The main essence and peculiarities of the legal framework for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, defined by the UN, in Ukraine have been revealed. It was determined that the decentralization reform, although it accelerated it, did not allow to form the expected high level of development of rural areas and ensure the proper standard of living of the rural population. Problems of the development of the Ukrainian rural areas are traditionally associated with economic, social, demographic factors and the general situation in the state and the current agrarian policy. The economic, social and demographic factors of sustainable development of rural areas of Ukraine and their problematic aspects have been identified. The place of agricultural production in the context of ensuring the employment of the rural population is characterized and the need to achieve a decent wage for agricultural labor is emphasized. Problematic aspects of the development of the social infrastructure of villages are revealed, in particular, access of the population to the rural medicine and quality educational services. The role of ecological aspects of preserving agrocenoses and the consequences of using fertilizers in the process of agricultural production are substantiated. Proposed directions for the formation of mechanisms for the implementation of the goals of sustainable development of rural areas are given. It is substantiated that the state policy on the sustainable development of rural areas should include a number of institutional mechanisms based on the interaction of stakeholders and the development of a comprehensive policy on the development of agricultural production, improving the quality of life of the rural population, overcoming unemployment and protecting the environment.

The aim of the study is to develop a system of economic and mathematical tools for modeling the socio-demographic development of rural areas. In preparing the article, theoretical methods of economic research were used. The sustainable development of rural areas is the most important goal of modern state agrarian policy. Different points of view on the problem under study indicate the need for more in-depth scientific study and concretization of practical measures for the stable development of rural areas. The modern socio-economic situation in the countryside is characterized by high unemployment, poverty, negative trends in the social sphere: a worsening demographic situation, destruction of social infrastructure, processes of outflow and degradation of the labor force. Changing the quality characteristics of rural life negatively affects the reproduction of labor resources as the basis for sustainable socio-economic development of rural areas. Modelling the socio-demographic development of rural areas of the region is one of the necessary strategic goals of agricultural, demographic and social policies, the achievement of which will ensure food security, the competitiveness of the national economy and improving the quality of life of the population. The article substantiates and adapts a system of economic and mathematical tools for modeling the socio-demographic development of rural territories, in which, in conjunction with the scientific provisions of known theories, correlation-regression and deterministic factor models with corresponding indicators from the declared methods were used, significantly expanding the field of their practical application.

Целью данной статьи является исследование и обоснование методических аспектов устойчивого развития сельских территорий. Задачи: дать анализ факторов и процессов развития сельских территорий в условиях современной экономики; раскрыть основы обеспечения устойчивости развития сельских территорий экономических подсистем; раскрыть основы системного и процессного подходов к обеспечению устойчивости; рассмотреть методические основы формирования устойчивости сельских территорий. Методология: системно-процессный подход к организации интеграционно-инновационного сетевого взаимодействия бизнес-процессов субъектов — стейкхолдеров развития базовых производственно-экономических и инженерно-технических, а также прикрепленных социально-инфраструктурных и финансово-инновационных подсистем. Результаты. В статье рассмотрено влияние процессов трансформации социально-экономических систем на функционирование и развитие малого и среднего предпринимательства. Рассмотрен системный подход к развитию сельских территорий. Определено понятие устойчивости развития сельских территорий. Предложены методические основы обеспечения устойчивого развития сельских территорий. Раскрыты подходы к формированию бизнес-модели устойчивого развития сельских территорий. Выводы. Результаты исследования могут служить основой для разработки стратегии обеспечения устойчивости развития сельских территорий в условиях баланса интересов стейкхолдеров на основе их интеграционно-инновационного взаимодействия. The purpose of this article is to study and substantiate the methodological aspects of the sustainable development of rural areas. Tasks: to give an analysis of the factors and processes of development of rural areas in the conditions of the modern economy; reveal the foundations for ensuring the sustainability of the de-velopment of rural areas of economic subsystems; reveal the basics of system and process approaches to sustainability; consider the methodological foundations for the formation of the sustainability of rural areas. Methodology: а system-process approach to the organization of integration-innovative net-work interaction of business processes of subjects-stakeholders in the development of basic production, economic and engineering-technical, as well as attached cosocial and financial and innovative subsystems. Results. The article considers the influence of the processes of transformation of socio-economic systems on the functioning and development of small and medium-sized businesses. A systematic approach to the development of rural areas is considered. The concept of sustainable devel-opment of rural areas is defined. The methodological bases for ensuring the sustainable development of rural areas are proposed. Approaches to the formation of a business model for the sustainable de-velopment of rural areas are disclosed. Conclusions. The results of the study can serve as a basis for developing a strategy for ensuring the sustainability of the development of rural areas in terms of a balance of interests of stakehold-ers based on their integration and innovation interaction.

The sustainable development of rural areas is an obvious and fundamental goal of the state policy of the Russian Federation. Improving the quality of life in each village, regardless of its distance from the regional center, is the main task of the regions. The article contains a termological analysis of the definition of “sustainable development of rural areas”. It was concluded that the dominant opinion of the authors on this concept is associated with a process that provides for the needs of residents of rural areas and increases their standard of living. The definition of a “mechanism for sustainable rural development” is given, which, through the methods and tools, implements the possibilities of natural, labor, material and financial resources for the effective development of rural economy. Sustainable and harmonious development of rural areas is possible only through the use of state support measures. The economic, environmental, social and demographic situation of rural areas, as well as their individuality, determine the need for continuous improvement of the mechanism of rural development through its methods and tools. The implementation of state support measures plays a significant role not only for rural residents, but also for leaders of agricultural organizations themselves. A decent and comfortable life in the village contributes to the consolidation of personnel. The importance of these aspects being recognized, the program “Integrated rural development” began to be implemented in 2020, which includes a sufficiently wide range of tools to support villages and rural residents. The program is aimed at reducing the gap in the quality of life between the rural and urban population, creating comfortable living conditions, reducing the outflow of residents from rural areas. As a result of the analysis, the potential and opportunities for the sustainable development of rural territories of Volgograd region were confirmed. These are the creation of conditions for providing villagers with comfortable housing, the development of various types of infrastructures, and the improvement of rural areas. The key directions of the mechanism for sustainable development of rural territories are identified: diversification of activities of the rural population, expansion of the possibilities of financial support for the development of rural territories through the public-private partnership involvement, improvement of preferential lending mechanisms, strengthening of grant support for rural communities for the improvement of rural territories.