Analysis of international experience of rural economy diversification

In this article, the authors study the concept of diversification in relation to the rural economy. The main problems of rural areas are analyzed. These problems are caused by the specifics of the existing economic specialization, high risks due to deterioration of macroeconomic conditions and narrow specialization. Diversification is necessary for the integrated development of small towns and district centers, as it is aimed at increasing the efficiency of using the available potential and redistributing resources. The international experience of diversification of the rural economy of various countries is analyzed, and its necessity, in particular, in Russia, is justified. Particular emphasis is placed on the direction of the diversity of the economy of small towns in various states, based on the specific nature of regional policies, goals and objectives of improving the quality of life and infrastructure development, increasing the attractiveness of the territories for living and working. It is necessary to take into account the location of rural areas, the presence of nearby small towns, and to pay particular attention to the territorial features when choosing a strategy for diversifying the rural economy. Due to the fact that the transformation of the sectoral structure of the rural economy towards non-agricultural orientation may be called a global trend, the development of non-agricultural activities is becoming more widespread. The authors use such research methods as dialectical method of cognition of economic and social processes, the method of system analysis, formal and logical method. The authors propose diversification strategies that will promote economic growth in rural areas, and will also improve a number of socio-economic indicators. The authors emphasize the special role of interaction between cities and rural areas, in particular, the role of small towns. Recommendations are proposed for improving the network interaction of small towns and rural areas, which will contribute to deepening the diversification of the rural economy.