The essence and specifics of consulting activities in agroindustrial complex

Scientific knowledge as the work of information and advisory services is one of the factors for the effective agricultural activities. First of all, the decisive role in the competition plays not only the availability and efficiency of the use of production resources, but also the timely provision of innovative and information resources. They are provided as part of the activities of information and consulting services known as consulting. The nature of the concept "consulting" has been discussed by the scientists since the 19th century. The article considers the essence of the category "consulting activity" in relation to the agrarian sector. Special attention is paid to the research of the Russian and foreign scientists, who defined consulting as a field of activity aimed at increasing the efficiency of production through provision of information and advisory services. The author's definition of consulting activity was formulated in the process of studying of this concept’s definitions as the set of services aimed at the development and support of the agro-industrial complex, provided by various subjects of professional activity represented by both private and public organizations. The authors have defined the particular features in the activity of advisory services in the agro-industrial complex, which are related to the branch affiliation, location, availability of the state financing programs and subsidization of agricultural commodity producers. The stages of the mechanism of the consulting process are considered. So, this mechanism includes five cycles. This algorithm is made taking into account particular features of the agro-industrial complex. The results of this research will reveal new conceptual categories of consulting. Further research of particular features of consulting activities in the agro-industrial complex will help determine their development vector.