Current Challenges to the Sustainable Development of Rural Communities in Russia's Central Chernozem Region

Abstract

The rural community system in the Central Chernozem Economic Region in Russia is undergoing a radical transformation under the interrelated influence of fundamental factors that have rendered the development of many communities unsus-tainable. This paper analyses the role of urbanisation processes in population changes and transformation of rural community systems in the region; determines the level of horizontal mobility among the rural population, as well as its impact on settlement evolution ; assesses the share of small and extremely small communities in settlement composition; and outlines these communities' future development prospects. The authors believe that the socio-demographic "desertification" of peripheral municipalities can pose challenges to rural development: a shortage of labour resources, changes in population quality, and problems of innovation diffusion. The study recommends improving the comfort of the living environment and accelerating the technical re-equipment and automation of agricultural production.