Non-agricultural Activities Research Articles

FAMILY SAVINGS OF THE WORKING POPULATION IN MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES

<p>The study was conducted to understand the saving behavior of the working population in Mindanao using the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) datasets covering the periods 2003 to 2015. The study determined the factors which influence the families to save using Tobit regression and compared the levels of family income, expenditures, and savings of the regions of Mindanao. The study revealed that the real value of family savings increases as the family head gets older, but it eventually declines as the head nears retirement age. Tobit estimates revealed that in Mindanao, the age of the family head, household tenure, wages from agricultural and non-agricultural activities, income from entrepreneurial activities and cash assistance from abroad positively influence families to save; while sex of the family head, educational attainment, and the number of young dependents negatively influence the families to save. Moreover, the family size, marital status and geospatial location of the family heads have shown both positive and negative influences on family savings for different years. Meanwhile, the ANOVA results revealed that in 2015 there were significant variations between and among the income, expenditure, and savings of families in all regions of Mindanao. However, the Tukey-Kramer HSD test revealed that family savings in some regions in Mindanao have statistically the same means such as the Zamboanga Peninsula and CARAGA, Northern Mindanao and Davao Region, and SOCCKSARGEN and ARMM, while other regions vary significantly from each other. Overall, the ANOVA results revealed that for 2015 the Davao Region has the highest mean family income and expenditure, while Northern Mindanao recorded the highest mean family savings. The ARMM region showed the least value of mean income, mean savings and mean expenditures of families among the regions of Mindanao.</p><p> </p><p><strong>JEL</strong>: C34, D14, D15, E21</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0571/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Efficiency, and economies of scale and scope in Japanese agricultural cooperatives

The purpose of this study is to investigate regional differences in the business characteristics of Japanese agricultural cooperatives (JAs), which have been widely criticized for depending on non-agricultural activities, contradictory to cooperative principles. We construct a panel data set over 2004–2019 from the financial statements of JAs’ prefectural-level federations and use a stochastic meta-frontier cost function model, which enables the decomposition of meta-frontier efficiency into two components: technical efficiency and technology gap ratios. The operational differences between JAs in urban and rural areas are investigated by comparing their efficiency and economies of scale and scope. The main results are summarized as follows: first, the meta-cost efficiency scores of JAs in urban areas are, on average, larger than those in rural areas, which reflects the differences in technology gap ratios. Second, JAs exhibit overall economies of scale in both areas; however, the product-specific economies of scale differ between financial and nonfinancial outputs. Finally, JAs in rural areas exhibit relatively larger economies of scope than those in urban areas. These findings indicate clear distinctions between urban and rural areas in cost-reduction effects. Finally, financial activities bring higher efficiency for JAs in urban areas, while benefits from simultaneous production are larger for those in rural areas.

EQUALITY AND SOLIDARITY IN UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF CHANGES IN FINANCING OF THE HEALTH CARE FROM JANUARY 1, 2022

Equality and solidarity are values which, in universal health insurance, take on the form of legal principles anchored both in the constitutional directive of equal access, irrespective of the materialsituation of the citizen, to health care benefits financed from public funds (Article 68, paragraph 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland) and the statutory provision that health insurance isbased on the principle of equal treatment and social solidarity (Article 65, point 1 of the Act on health care benefits financed from public funds). The relationship between these two principles within the framework of universal health insurance is that many of the existing exceptions to equal treatment are justified by solidarity in bearing the costs of this insurance (the rule from the insured/regions richer to the insured/regions poorer) or in providing health care benefits (the rule from less severely ill to more severely ill). However, not all regulations in this area result from objective differences between the insured. Doubts are raised particularly by the differentiation of the health contribution interest rate among entrepreneurs, the financing of health insurance by farmers, or the accumulation of contribution burdens on persons who earning income from employment or non-agricultural activity.

Control of Spatial Utilization in the Spatial Plan Policy: Case of Ambarawa Ring Road Semarang Regency

The Regional Regulation of Semarang Regency Number 6 of 2011 Article 61 states that the provisions on the conversion of land functions, especially on irrigated rice fields to non-agricultural land, except for general development purposes, are allowed but must refer to the law. Population development causes people to often use space that is not in accordance with regulations, namely by utilizing space in food crop farming areas for the construction of commercial business buildings as happened in the Ambarawa Ring Road area. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that cause the establishment of buildings that are not in accordance with spatial planning and to determine law enforcement on controlling space utilization. This study uses a qualitative research method with a sociological juridical approach. While the types and sources of data are primary data and secondary data. The results of the study stated that in the use of space in the food crop agricultural area in the Ambarawa Ring Road area, it was found that in the area there were violations of land conversion to non-agricultural activities with the presence of several buildings for commercial business activities. The conclusion is that law enforcement on controlling the use of space in the Ambarawa Ring Road area is not optimal. The directions for imposing sanctions in the Semarang Regency Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2011 are not implemented properly.

LOCAL ACTION GROUPS AS A DETERMINANT OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

The article aims to assess the activities of Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the region of Lublin. The research hypothesis, that territorial partnerships are an important factor in local development, LAG support is seen by local communities through the implementation of grant projects to support the well-being of residents, was verified with the use of research questions. 114 members of LAGs located in the area of Lublin took part in the study, which was based on a research questionnaire prepared by the author of the paper, and 238 participants in the projects implemented by the LAGs took part in direct interviews. The research was conducted in the period from August to September 2019. The descriptive statistics of the STATISTICA 13.1 PL software were used to process the obtained results. Based on the outcomes of the research, the most important motives for joining the partnership were social reasons – the need to act for the benefit of the local community, and reasons of an egoistic nature – the need to introduce changes in the environment that would help self-development, or the willingness to form beneficial relationships. It was also the curiosity about the new form of cooperation. The research participants also ranked the main goals of the LAGs, as well as the categories of projects that should be supported. Among their expectations, the participants in the interviews mentioned: supporting and developing non-agricultural activities, actions to reduce unemployment and supporting the establishment of international cooperation.

Beyond a generalized deagrarianization: Livelihood heterogeneity and its determinants in the Mixteca Alta, Mexico

In recent decades, rural livelihoods across the global South have increasingly turned away from farming. This process of “deagrarianization” is frequently seen as a uniform reaction to pervasive institutional and economic pressures against small-scale farming. Evidence at local scales, however, shows that households tend to adjust heterogeneously to such pressures, which challenges assumptions of uniform obstacles and/or motivations shaping deagrarianization. Studying this heterogeneity in livelihood adjustments and their drivers represents a key first step towards understanding the varying implications in terms of welfare and vulnerability for rural households. To that end, this paper investigates the manifestations and determinants of livelihood heterogeneity in the Mixteca Alta, a region in southern Mexico whose economy has shifted drastically away from agriculture over recent decades. Drawing on cluster analysis and machine learning applied to survey and secondary data, we show that this economic shift has actually unfolded in contrasting ways across households, with some diversifying across both agricultural and non-agricultural activities and others specializing in non-agricultural occupations. Much of this differentiation in livelihood strategies rests upon an unequal distribution of assets like land, education, and financial capital interacting with an uneven economic context in terms of road accessibility and aggregate poverty. By revealing the underlying conditions that enable and restrict occupational opportunities across households, our study emphasizes the need to move beyond one-size-fits-all interventions to enhance livelihood security in rural spaces.

Effects of stakeholders’ perception of urban agriculture on the governance of urban agriculture in the wards of Daraja Mbili and Lemala in Arusha City, Tanzania

Actors’ perception of urban agriculture can affect the way urban agricultural decisions are made and implemented either positively or negatively, with or without the actors being aware of it. The way actors perceive urban agriculture is influenced by actors’ interests, limited or unlimited information about urban agriculture, policy and legal frameworks. This study used a case-study design to examine the effects of actors’ diverse perception of urban agriculture on the governance of urban agriculture. Purposefully selected 60 respondents participated in-depth interviews in the wards of Daraja Mbili and Lemala. Farmers and agricultural officers perceived urban agriculture positively because their livelihoods and professional interests were related and relied on the practice of urban agriculture. Urban planners and agricultural officers perceived agriculture positively and negatively depending on the way agricultural activities affected the environment or were compatible with non-agricultural activities. The implementation of policy and enforcement of bylaws relating to urban agriculture was not successful because urban planners and environmental officers were skeptical about the value of urban agriculture. Doing urban agriculture in the environmentally sensitive areas was against environmental bylaws, but the area was encroached upon by the farmers who had no alternative land for farming. Land use hurdles for doing urban agriculture were rarely addressed by urban planners who had no evidence of the benefits of urban agriculture to city authority compared with revenue and employment opportunities from real estate developments. We conclude that the farmers’ and non-farmers positive and negative perception of urban agriculture stem from their interests, limited or unlimited information about urban agriculture. Government officials’ perception of urban agriculture is influenced by their carrier and work obligations. Despite the presence of policy acknowledging urban agriculture and environmental bylaws for regulating urban agriculture, actors cannot really govern urban agriculture if they perceive it negatively.

The multigenerational impacts of educational expansion: Evidence from Vietnam

We investigate the multigenerational effects of a primary school expansion program in Vietnam. In the directly affected generation, the expansion increases educational attainment, literacy, non-agricultural economic activity, earnings and the intergenerational educational mobility. It increases human capital investments in the children of the directly affected generation, with increased educational expenditures, school enrollment, and health investments, and a reduction in child labor. Moreover, the expansion improves health in old age of the parents of the directly affected generation, an effect that seems to operate through increased financial resources, access to private health insurance and reduced alcohol consumption.

Non-agricultural source dominates the ammonium aerosol in the largest city of South China based on the vertical δ15N measurements

Ammonia (NH3) is the most prevalent alkaline gas in the atmosphere and plays a critical role in air pollution and public health. However, scientific debate remains over whether agricultural emissions (e.g., livestock and fertilizer application) dominate NH3 in urban atmosphere in China, which is one of the largest NH3 emitters in the world. In this study, we first simultaneously collected the fine atmospheric particles (PM2.5) at two heights (ground and 488 m) using the atmospheric observatories in Canton Tower, Guangzhou city, China for the measurements of stable nitrogen isotope composition in ammonium (δ15N-NH4+). Our results showed that the average δ15N-NH4+ value at the ground and the 488 m observatory were 16.9 ‰ and 3.8 ‰, respectively, implying that NH4+ aerosols between the two heights probably have different sources. Moreover, we found that the δ15N-NH4+ value would sharply decrease to −16.7 ‰ when the air masses came from western Guangzhou, where the urbanization is limited compared to other surrounding areas. The Bayesian mixing model indicated that NH4+ aerosol at the ground observatory was mainly derived from non-agricultural activities (76 %, e.g., vehicular exhaust), with the rest from agricultural sources (24 %). As for the 488 m observatory, the contribution of non-agricultural sources was 53 %, which is lower than the ground observatory. This is expected as the lower air receives more impacts from the local urban emission. However, the current “bottom-up” emission inventory illustrates that only ~20 % NH3 in Guangzhou is associated with non-agricultural emissions, which is significantly lower than our δ15N-based results. Overall, our findings strongly imply that non-agricultural sources dominate the urban NH3 in Guangzhou or maybe in adjacent cities of the Pearl River Delta region as well, suggesting that the emission inventory of NH3 in this region probably is urgently needed to be revisited in future studies.

Application Research of Fuzzy Control Comprehensive Model in Agricultural Economic Management

Agriculture is the basic industry of the national economy, and the transformation of agricultural economic growth mode is of great significance to ensure the supply of agricultural products and improve the quality of agricultural products. Therefore, it is the only way to solve this problem to change the way of agricultural economic growth through scientific and technological investment, industrial structure adjustment, and other methods. Based on the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, this paper analyzes various factors of agricultural economic development and establishes a multilevel fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model of the development status of agricultural economic system. The stochastic frontier production function model of the fuzzy control comprehensive model is applied to decompose the agricultural labor productivity, and the counterfactual thinking and distribution method are used to analyze the influence of these factors on the evolution of provincial agricultural labor productivity differences. The value inequality decomposition method measures the contribution of each factor to the provincial agricultural labor productivity difference as well as the contribution of exogenous explanatory variables to the provincial agricultural technical efficiency difference. It is concluded that the relative contribution rate of nonagricultural activities to the difference in agricultural technical efficiency is the largest, and the average relative contribution rate reaches 74%. The improvement of agricultural labor productivity cannot rely solely on the increase in the input of agricultural material factors, but should rely on science and technology.

CLUSTER STRUCTURES IN DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYMENT OF RURAL TERRITORY OF THE REGION

The article outlines the current state of socio-economic development of the region in the direction of the social sphere. It was established that the current state of the socio-economic infrastructure of the village confirms the presence of a deep crisis. The difficult situation of the village economy, long-term underfunding of the social sphere led to the threat of physical destruction of its material and technical potential. The existing material base of cultural and household facilities does not meet the standards. In rural areas, educational facilities in most cases do not have modern technical equipment for teaching, there is a shortage of teaching staff, and the level of their professional education is lower than in the city. The problems of employment in the rural areas of the region are analyzed. It was found that the employed population, which is released from agriculture for various reasons, can engage in non-agricultural activities, which will positively affect the growth of the income of the rural population. Therefore, it is possible to use not only agricultural land, but also natural and recreational resources, as well as a favorable habitat. However, local authorities do not pay due attention to the development of agricultural activities in the countryside, livestock farms and agricultural processing enterprises are shrinking. It is proposed to form an agricultural-tourist cluster to ensure uninterrupted supply of ecologically clean agricultural products and to solve the issue of employment of the region’s population. Thus, as an example of such formation, the agricultural and touristic potential of the Berezan district was used, within which there are 4 recreation areas: “Koblevo”, “Lugove”, “Morske”, “Rybakivka”. About 170 recreation centers offer their services to tourists from Ukraine and near abroad. About 180,000 people visit the Koblevo-Rybakiv recreation area every year. In order to provide 180,000 tourists with environmentally friendly food during the 5 months of the holiday season, it is necessary to allocate 6.4 hectares of arable land for the production of leafy vegetables, early cabbage, early potatoes, seasonal vegetables, melons and sweet corn; 28.6 hectares of perennial plantations for the production of berries and grapes; 856 hectares of agricultural land for the production of food products of animal origin. For the production of fresh baked goods, the peasants must purchase high-quality flour of industrial production. When forming the production zone, it is necessary to take into account the need to minimize transport costs. It was emphasized that the cluster should include rural areas located along the M14 highway and no further than 20-25 km from the Koblevo-Rybakiv recreation area. These are rural settlements that are under the jurisdiction of the Koblev Rural United Territorial Community. The number of able-bodied population within its borders is 5,514 people.

Role of industries in employment and economy of Nagpur City

Nagpur city lies in the Nagpur district of the state of Maharashtra. It enjoys the status of being the second capital of Maharashtra and is located in the geo-graphical centre of India. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nagpur is projected to be the fifth fastest growing city in the world from 2019 to 2035 with an average growth of 8.41% (Nagpur, n.d.) . It is also an administrative educational, commercial and cultural centre of Vidarbha region. This paper will be focusing on the existing economy condition of Nagpur City which includes employment in agricultural & non-agricultural activities. Working population, density of workers and per capita income will be the major area of research in this study.

The mechanism for stimulating the development of rural areas and the possibility of its implementation in Ukraine

The article is devoted to the mechanism of stimulating the development of rural areas and the possibilities of its implementation in Ukraine. Ways of balanced development of non-agricultural activities in rural areas are substantiated, the development of industry, rural tourism, the service sector, folk crafts and the production of specific regional products are determined. Emphasis is placed on the need for product diversification of the food and processing industry with an increase in the share of ready-made food products with a higher added value. The analysis of the development of rural areas of the countries of the European Union was carried out and sectoral mechanisms, proportional and complex principles of regional policy were singled out, and the necessity of using an integrated approach to the development and implementation of programs and strategies for the development of united territorial communities was substantiated. The implementation of the European experience of organizational and economic support for the development of rural areas in Ukraine allows determining the main goals of the policy for the development of rural areas in Ukraine, including ensuring the competitiveness of rural areas, transforming the rural economy, promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy, ensuring sustainable management of land and water resources, restoring and preservation of biodiversity, achievement of ecological and economic security, which will contribute to the sustainable, reasonable and comprehensive development of rural areas in Ukraine.

Positive deviant strategies implemented by organic multi-species livestock farms in Europe

CONTEXTTransitions to more sustainable livestock production systems are increasingly demanded by parts of society. Scientists suggest moving towards diversified farming systems due to their potential environmental and economic benefits, especially in the organic sector. However, empirical knowledge of multi-species livestock farms, i.e. farms keeping two or more animal species, is lacking. OBJECTIVEOur objectives were to identify European organic multi-species livestock farms that outperform their peers despite having the same resources and constraints, and characterize their distinctive management principles. METHODSWe conducted surveys on 102 farms in seven European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. We restricted the analysis to a sub-sample of 75 farms that had complete data and that covered 3 main livestock combinations (cattle and sheep, cattle and pigs, cattle and poultry) with similar number of farms. We implemented a positive deviant approach based on three indicators: land productivity, nitrogen input dependence and satisfaction regarding income. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSFive structurally diverse positive deviant farms were identified with 4 types of livestock combinations represented, and farmland area ranging from 25 to 273 ha, herd size from 33 to 146 livestock units (LU) and total workforce size from 1 to 24 annual worker units (AWU). These farms were located on a trade-off between land productivity and autonomy for feed, and all but one had high overall autonomy for feed (89–100% against a mean of 76% for the whole sample). Their diversity of pastures, crops and livestock species and their diversification beyond agricultural production were controlled (e.g. no agritourism) and below that of the other sample farms, to remain manageable by the farmers while still allowing to buffer shocks and hazards. Interactions among farm enterprises remained limited to matter (mainly grain, straw, hay, manure) flows, and practices requiring specific efforts and investments (e.g. for fencing), such as co-grazing of different livestock and crop residues grazing, were avoided. SIGNIFICANCEWe conducted the first integrated study on European organic multi-species livestock farms and identified key management principles implemented on positive deviant farms. We showed that whatever their size, farms outperforming their peers do not necessarily maximize diversity of agricultural productions and of non-agricultural activities, and interactions among farm enterprises but that they remain at a level of complexity manageable by the farmers. These principles will inform farmers running multi-species livestock farms or transitioning to this model.

"Economic Development of Milk Producers through Dairy Cooperatives with Special Reference to Banaskantha District"

"Dairy cooperatives in rural Gujarat provide a stable source of income for millions of people. Rural inhabitants are mostly involved in farming as well as non-agricultural activities such as livestock husbandry and dairy. The Economic Development of Member Dairy Farmers through Dairy Cooperatives was examined in this study. The primary data was acquired using a convenience sampling method from 200 Members Dairy Farmers in the Banaskantha district. Data was collected using a Google form. Simple percentage approaches were utilised to do the analysis. According to the findings, the Banaskantha District Dairy Cooperative plays an essential role in the economic development of its member dairy producers. Member Dairy Farmers provide a considerable contribution to Gujarat’s dairy industry, and their engagement in dairy farming is seen as a crucial instrument for increasing the standard of living of the rural community in Bansakantah District."

Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Socioeconomic Activities of Urbanized Rural Areas in Fujian Province, China

Rural urbanization under China’s process of rapid urbanization entails significant rural transformation and is profoundly influencing sustainable development. However, little research has been undertaken on spatial patterns and socioeconomic activities. In this study, we defined urbanized rural areas as territories where the population size, economic output, and built-up land area are larger than in other rural and urban areas. Using large-scale and high-granularity spatial data, we delimited 255 urbanized rural areas from the 15,117 village-level administrative units in Fujian Province, China, in 2015. Analysis of the spatial patterns of the urbanized rural areas showed that spatial clustering, proximity to well-developed urban centers, and transportation accessibility influenced the development of the urbanized rural areas. Analysis of socioeconomic activities in the urbanized rural areas showed that the urbanized rural areas are rudimentary urban areas in terms of socioeconomic activities. Specifically, we found four representative socioeconomic activities in the urbanized rural areas: an urban-like housing model, diverse non-agricultural activities, transportation improvements, and sufficient health services. Based on our findings, we put forward several policy implications. This study can add valuable new knowledge for rural and urbanization studies.

Being a Farmer in Austria during COVID-19—A Qualitative Study on Challenges and Opportunities

To assess the effects of COVID-19 on Austrian farmers, a qualitative study design including computer-aided, qualitative content analysis was applied. Interviews with 34 Austrian farmers covering a broad spectrum of the sector were conducted to identify the impacts, obstacles, and opportunities during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that the diverse and heterogeneous impacts of COVID-19 on farms created significant challenges but also opportunities. Negative impacts included sales difficulties due to the closure of the hospitality industry and farmers markets, the ban on non-agricultural activities, the disrupted availability of workers and agricultural inputs, and the related additional workload. Mitigation of negative effects through political measures and interest groups showed limited effectiveness. Nevertheless, the functionality of the agricultural sector was maintained. During the initial phase of the pandemic, direct impacts on agricultural production were minimal and adjustments were adequate. There were also positive effects on parts of the agricultural sector, such as a boost in direct sales, increased demand in the food retail sector, and improved public perception of agriculture and farmers. Long-term changes in farms have been triggered and/or reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly driven by digitization, investments in product and/or process innovations, and adjustments concerning marketing.

Mining methods exert differential effects on species recruitment at artisanal small-scale mining sites in Ghana

Artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) is one of the essential rural non-agricultural livelihood activities in Ghana. However, basic and rudimentary practices and tools associated with ASM activities lead to vegetation and soil destruction. Given the limitation of state-sponsored reclamation of abandoned ASM sites, the role of natural recovery in abandoned mine sites is deemed a viable option, as it lowers financial obligations, promotes pioneer species and improves local ecology. The residual impacts of different ASM methods (alluvial or chamfi) and their implications for reclamation are less explored. Using a randomised sampling approach, one hundred and eight (108) plots representing 54 abandoned mined (27 alluvial and 27 chamfi) and 54 unmined areas (control plots) were demarcated for seedling and sapling assessments. A total of 6,157 seedlings belonging to 133 species and 4,536 saplings belonging to 42 species were recorded. Pielou's evenness and Shannon indices showed that both seedlings and saplings were equitably distributed between mined-out sites and their controls for both methods but showed evidence of environmental variability. This variability was more conspicuous in chamfi mined-out sites, confirming some degradation impacts. Chromolaena odorata (L.) and Mimosa pudica L. were the dominant seedlings recorded, while Hymenostegia afzelii (Oliv.) Harms and Musanga cecropioides M. Smithii R. Br. dominated the saplings. The alluvial method exerted a far greater effect on stand features such as basal area and stand density for saplings owing to its greater soil damage. Assisted restoration measures directed at abandoned mined sites can facilitate ecosystem recovery to a trajectory reminiscent of that of nearby undisturbed forests.

Exploring Individual and Family-related Characteristics of Hybrid Entrepreneurs

Abstract This research contributes to the knowledge of individuals called hybrid entrepreneurs who combine primary paid employment with secondary self-employment activity. We work with a dataset of 30 countries participating in the 2017 European Union Labour Force Survey. We conduct a multivariate analysis of individual and family-related characteristics of hybrid entrepreneurs. Our results highlight that hybrid entrepreneurs are a specific subgroup of the population of self-employed individuals. While the hybrid entrepreneurs are also a relatively heterogeneous group themselves, we show that most of them do business in the agricultural sector and live in rural areas. Their business activities seem to be on average younger than those being run by primarily self-employed individuals. This likely reflects the temporary nature of many hybrid entrepreneurship endeavours. Interestingly hybrid entrepreneurs have, on average, higher levels of education, but this finding relates mainly to those being involved in non-agricultural activities. Women are less likely to pursue hybrid entrepreneurship, which is even less likely associated with having caring responsibilities for children. Future research should provide more longitudinal insights into the family-kids related aspects of hybrid entrepreneurship.

THE OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE ADDED VALUE AND EMPLOYMENT IN NON-AGRICULTURAL SECTORS IN RURAL AREAS

The article analyzes European practices and issues in the field of rural entrepreneurship in the context of poverty reduction, in order to justify ways to increase value added and employment in non-agricultural sectors of rural areas and create a comprehensive mechanism for realizing the right to quality and adequate food for all. An analysis of the dynamics of the number and share of people employed in agriculture in the world and in Ukraine was carried out. The essence and types of non-agricultural activities are established. It is proposed to implement a decent rural employment program (DRE) in strategic rural development planning, which includes four stages of strategic planning: analysis of the problem and stakeholders, identification of desired impacts and beneficiaries, development of a chain of results and selection of strategies and programs; monitoring and evaluation systems development. The most vulnerable groups in rural areas and the general problems they face are summarized. Examples of activities aimed at increasing DRE within the framework of the Decent Work Agenda pillars are provided, including a number of priorities based on: job creation and enterprise development (level I); social protection (level II); standards and rights at work (level III); and also governance and social dialogue (level IV).