RESOURCE AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AS A BASIS FOR RURAL ECONOMY DIVERSIFICATION

Abstract

Based on official statistics data for 2015-2024, the article analyses the dynamics of employment, working time usage, wages, investments in fixed assets, the state and structure of fixed assets, the level of self-sufficiency in basic food products, agricultural production by farm categories, as well as the performance indicators of agricultural organizations and small enterprises. It has been established that the current development of the agricultural sector is accompanied by a decrease in the amount of live labour, while at the same time there is an increase in capital availability, modernization of the production base, and an increase in output in a number of key areas. It has been shown that diversification can enhance the food, social, and spatial sustainability of rural areas by involving labour resources, capitalizing the material and technical base, supporting local processing, establishing direct distribution channels, and developing regional brands. The article concludes that it is necessary to coordinate agricultural, investment, infrastructure, and tourism policies in order to transition to a multifunctional rural economy.