Market adaptation of agricultural enterprises

Problems of adaptation agricultural enterprises to the market environment are analyzed. Adaptation in agriculture is complicated by the long production period and volatility of product prices. Due to the improper formation of infrastructure, the agricultural market does not perform the function of price stabilization. Constant re-profiling of the enterprise is required. This does not contribute to stable functioning. There are not price forecasting services in Ukraine. Financial resources and staffing of even relatively large enterprises are insufficient for such forecasting. In such conditions, especially large-sized enterprises are developing as a priority. Their activities are focused on foreign markets, where prices are more stable. This strengthens the export potential of Ukraine's agriculture and exacerbates rural unemployment and social problems in rural areas. In addition, it is difficult for large enterprises to adapt to market environment. Compared to small enterprises, their re-profiling requires longer time and greater financial resources. In highly competitive markets, the differentiation of consumers by requirements for food products is growing. Manufacturers of undifferentiated mass-produced products using intensive technologies are losing their competitive position. The popularity of small batches of products is growing, which is more acceptable for potential consumers of target market segments. The production and bringing to market of such products requires the coordinated activities of all economic entities united by a common chain of movement of goods. To achieve this, state incentives are needed for the creation and development of cluster-type economic systems, which harmonize the requirements for raw materials and products of its processing, delivery times, prices. Production of craft products can be organized in some agricultural enterprises. The higher cost of such products is offset by higher sales prices. The creation of such systems can be initiated by processing enterprises that invest in the production of raw materials. State support for such structures is more effective than direct state financial support for individual industries.

MODERN ASPECTS OF RURAL EMPLOYMENT IN KAZAKHSTAN

The article studies the social employment of the village population, since this problem significantly affects the professionalism and potential development of any villager. The worker creates the main wealth of society, leads to progressive, innovative ideas, turning them into a sought-after product, and also contributes to social life. The opposite side of employment can be attributed to unemployment, which leads to degradation, increases the number of beggars, and reduces the quality of life of society. Preventing unemployment and increasing the employed population is one of the central, strategic objectives of state policy. As part of the study carried out by the authors, a quantitative assessment of the structure of rural labor markets was carried out based on a sources combination of official statistical information. The results of the study will help to identify the negative consequences of rural unemployment for the economic activity of the regions, the dynamism of development, and the tension in the labor market in the countryside. The study results contributed to the identification of the rural unemployment negative effects on the regional economic activity, the dynamics of development, and the tension in the labor market in the village. Significant impact of small business development on the number of employed populations has been revealed. The importance of households in studying the rural employment problem and state support measures for this category of households is assessed. When analyzing the directions of development in the field of employment of the rural population, the following research methods were used: abstract-logical - in identifying modern aspects of employment; economic and statistical in the analysis of the state, changes in the structure of the rural population; as well as a monographic one - in determining the priority directions of increasing employment of the rural population and the mechanism of its regulation.

Regional features of rural unemployment in Russia

The research is aimed at typologizing the regions of Russia in terms of unemployment with a view to improving regional economic policy. The typology of regions was done using the method of groupings. This enabled the authors to distinguish between rural areas including the level of employment. The authors revealed that the major negative trend in the labor market was the decrease in the number of agriculture jobs, which caused the release of labor and the increased unemployment rates in rural areas. Grouping the regions based on the indicator of employment of the rural population in agricultural sector allowed the authors to identify three types of regions (with high, medium and low unemployment rates) for further use as a criterion for differentiating the state policy of regulating the labor market in rural areas (active and passive).

The expansion of large-scale tree plantations: Detection, pathways, and development trade-offs

Tree plantations can contribute to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating job opportunities, storing carbon, and providing wood products that relieve pressure on natural forests. However, their impacts on SDGs are largely contingent upon the land uses they replace. Here we present a framework for understanding the development trade-offs associated with tree plantations and we introduce a new remote sensing technique to detect their expansion and pre-conversion land use. Using this approach in northern Mozambique, we found that 70% of 2001-2017 tree plantation expansion occurred on cropland, potentially exacerbating poverty, food insecurity and rural unemployment. The remainder occurred on natural vegetation, adversely affecting climate change mitigation efforts and life on land. Forty-one percent of plantation expansion occurred on land not designated for this land use. As tree plantations become more prevalent globally, monitoring their trajectories and expansion is critical to maximizing their benefits for people and the planet.

How effective is local beneficiation policy in enhancing rural income and employment? The case of agro-processing beneficiation in Tzaneen, South Africa

Confronted with a sluggish growth and very high rates of rural unemployment, South Africa has put local beneficiation at the core of its strategy for employment-intensive re-industrialisation. Its industrial policy action plan identified agro-processing as one of the priority areas for this strategy because of its potential employment multiplier in rural areas. Despite the appeal of its industrialisation potential, beneficiation strategy is often contested and its effectiveness as a viable engine of industrialisation in African countries is recurrently questioned. This paper presents an empirical evaluation of the income and employment effects of an agro-processing beneficiation programme launched by the Department of Science and Technology for the processing of abundant mango harvest in the area of Tzaneen in Limpopo province. Using inverse probability weighting estimation on a sample of 385 households residing in and around the beneficiation target area, we find clear positive income effects of the agro-processing project for the beneficiary households. The success of this project in the domestic and international agro-processing markets suggests that local beneficiation strategy can provide a sound basis for rural industrialisation if adequately prepared.

Rural Unemployment in Gujarat and West Bengal

Based on NSSO data sets, this study covers the period from 1993 to 2010 and focuses on a comparison of rural unemployment in Gujarat and West Bengal, chosen because of their contrasting characteristics. In the past few decades, Gujarat has emphasised growth through modern industrial production, while under a different ideological regime, West Bengal aimed to achieve agricultural growth, land reform and more egalitarian patterns of agricultural incomes. Recent evidence suggests that meanwhile Gujarat’s agriculture has registered high growth in output during 2000–08, while West Bengal has failed to kick off industrialisation, despite making some pressing efforts. The article clearly identifies the limited scope for agriculture to provide full employment for all young rural people in India. However, given the important role of the agricultural sector in safeguarding national food security, it becomes obvious that apart from careful attention to agricultural developments, sustainable alternatives to traditional agricultural employment need to be activated. The concluding section therefore considers various policy options for tackling the risks of rural unemployment and underemployment in India.