Brain drains from the agricultural sector: the impact of personnel shortages on innovative development of the rural economy
EDN: HLPZXL
Abstract
This article examines the problem of innovative development of rural areas in Russia in the context of labor shortages in the agro-industrial sector of the economy. The aim of the study is to identify institutional and socio-economic factors contributing to the decline of human capital in the agricultural sector and to analyze the impact of these factors on the innovative development of the rural economy. Particular attention is given to the issues of attracting and retaining young professionals. The information base of the study included data from Rosstat, regional studies, and survey results from students, graduates, and young specialists residing in rural areas. It is shown that the key reasons for the “brain drain” from rural agricultural territories are the low quality of infrastructure in small towns and villages, insufficient incentives to relocate to rural areas, and the limited effectiveness of employment programs and initiatives promoting life in rural and remote regions. As directions for transforming human resource policies in the rural economy, which should be prioritized by federal and regional authorities, the study highlights the improvement of the targeted education system, the updating of educational and professional development programs in accordance with the current scientific and technological level of the sector, the development of partnerships between research organizations and agro-enterprises, and the creation of a system to support rural entrepreneurship. The results obtained can be used to inform the development of federal and regional strategies for sustainable development and enhancement of human capital in the rural economy.
About the Author
O. A. EremchenkoRussian Federation
Olga A. Eremchenko – Senior Researcher
AuthorID: 696830, Researcher ID: F-8956–2014, Scopus Author ID: 55811482100
2, Vernadsky Pr., Moscow, 119571
References
1. Badmaeva, N.V. (2020). Employment and migration problems of rural youth in the Republic of Kalmykia. Perm University Herald. Philosophy. Psychology. Sociology, 4, 669–678. EDN: YZLZNO, https://doi.org/10.17072/2078-7898/2020-4-669-678 (in Russian)
2. Buraeva, E.V. (2021). Personnel policy in agriculture as the key to the improvement of the industry human resources reproduction. Bulletin of Agrarian Science, 2(89), 105–212. EDN: THEAFY, https://doi.org/10.17238/issn2587-666X.2021.2.105 (in Russian)
3. Gokhberg, L.M. et al. (2025). Science and Technology Indicators in the Russian Federation: 2025: Data Book. HSE ISSEK. EDN: POWNQR (in Russian)
4. Yerknapeshyan, M. (2023, December 7). The conditions for targeted admission in agricultural areas of study need to be reviewed. Scientific Russia Electronic Periodical. Retrieved August 11, 2025 from https://old.scientificrussia.ru/partners/rossijskaya-akademiya-nauk/uslovia-celevogo-priema-po-agrarnym-napravleniam-obucenia-nuzdautsa-v-peresmotre (in Russian)
5. Kartseva, M.A., Mkrtchyan, N.V. & Florinskaya, Y.F. (2021). Interregional migration and life strategies of the Russian youth. The Journal of the New Economic Association, 4(52), 162–180. EDN: OTYELE, https://doi.org/10.31737/2221-2264-2021-52-4-7 (in Russian)
6. Kuzovleva, I.A. & Sukharev, O.S. (2016). Agribusiness as generators new Russian economic growth: state and opportunities. Journal of International Scientific Researches, 8(3), 8–16. EDN: WXQXNH (in Russian)
7. Kurdiumov, A.V., Shaibakova, L.F., Morozova, G.M., & Meshcheriagina, V.A. (2025). Assessment of personnel availability of agriculture for sustainable development of the agricultural sector. Economics of Agriculture of Russia, 3, 66–72. EDN: UIPFBD, https://doi.org/10.32651/253–66 (in Russian)
8. Leushkina, V.V. (2022). Demographic and personnel aspects of rural development in the Siberian federal district. Russian Journal of Labor Economics, 9(10), 1527–1540. EDN: EHUTPL, https://doi.org/10.18334/et.9.10.116359 (in Russian)
9. Lovchikova, E.I., Zvereva, G.P., Volchenkova, A.S., & Hramchenkova, A.O. (2025). Transformation of the personnel potential of the agro-industrial complex in the context of technological development. Bulletin of Agrarian Science, 3(114), 146–155. EDN: HAYINA, https://doi.org/10.24412/2587–666X-2025-3-146-155 (in Russian)
10. Potapova, A.A. (2024). Shortage of Workers in Russia’s Agriculture: Is there Potential to Recover? ECO, 54(2), 146–168. EDN: IZCFSH, https://doi.org/10.30680/ECO0131-7652-2024-2-146-168 (in Russian)
11. RAS President Gennady Krasnikov: The Academy is making efforts to attract scientific personnel to the agro-indus-trial complex (2023, December 7). RAS. Retrieved August 5, 2025 from https://new.ras.ru/activities/news/prezi-dent-ran-gennadiy-krasnikov-akademiya-prikladyvaet-usiliya-dlya-privlecheniya-nauchnykh-kadrov-/ (in Russian)
12. Pyzhikova, N.I., Ozerova, M.G., Toropynina, N.M., & Veselkova, V.S. (2023). Socio-economic research on youth employment problem in rural areas. Socio-economic and humanitarian journal, 2(28), 76–86. EDN: BYYQXJ (in Russian)
13. Rosstat (2023). Labor and Employment in Russia. 2023: Statistical Digest [Electronic resource]. (n. d.). Retrieved August 5, 2025 from http://ssl.rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Trud_2023.pdf (in Russian)
14. Shvedov, V.V. (2023). Problems of staffing in the agro-industrial complex. International Journal of Applied Sciences and Technology “Integral”, 3, 489–495. EDN: OBPPHW (in Russian)
15. Shevchenko, I.O. (2024). Young specialists of agricultural professions in the labor market. RSUH/RGGU Bulletin. “Philosophy. Sociology. Arts Studies” series, 4, 102–114. EDN: SDWUHS, https://doi.org/10.28995/2073-6401-2024-4-102-114 (in Russian)
16. Agriculture; plantations; other rural sectors. International Labour Organization (2025, September 3). [Electronic resource]. Retrieved September 9, 2025 from https://www.ilo.org/industries-and-sectors/agriculture-plantations-other-rural-sectors
17. Baiyegunhi, L.J.S. (2024). Examining the impact of human capital and innovation on farm productivity in the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, South Africa. Agrekon, 63(1–2), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2024.2357072
18. Basak S. & Dwivedi, R. (2025). Bihar’s Brain Drain and Its Impact on Regional Innovation and Growth [Electronic resource]. Retrieved August 5, 2025 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391330963_Bihar%27s_Brain_Drain_and_Its_Impact_on_Regional_Innovation_and_Growth
19. FAO (2018). The future of food and agriculture – Alternative pathways to 2050. Rome.
20. Kvartiuk, V., Petrick, M., Bavorova, M., Bednarik, Z., & Ponkina, E.V. (2020). A Brain Drain in Russian Agriculture? Migration Sentiments among Skilled Russian Rural Youth. Europe-Asia Studies, 72(8), 1352–1377. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2020.1730305
21. Nikulina, Yu.N. (2023). Rural employment in Russia: Present conditions and prospects for agricultural and nonagricultural sectors. Russian Journal of Economics, 9(4), 351–370. https://doi.org/10.32609/j.ruje.9.112008
22. Parikoglou, I., Emvalomatis, G., Läpple, D., Thorne, F., & Wallace, M. (2024). The contribution of innovation to farm-level productivity. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 62, 239–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11123-024-00728-0
23. Ryan, M. (2023). Labour and skills shortages in the agro-food sector. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, 189, OECD Publishing, https://doi.org/10.1787/ed758aab-en
24. Selod, H. & Shilpi, F. (2021). Rural-urban migration in developing countries: Lessons from the literature. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 91, 103713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2021.103713
25. Share of GDP from agriculture. Our world in data. (2023). [Electronic resource]. Retrieved August 5, 2025 from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/agriculture-share-gdp?tab=table
26. Wang, T., Liu, H., & Wang, Z. (2025). Decomposing the Impact of Agricultural Mechanization on Agricultural Output Growth: A Case Study Based on China’s Winter Wheat. Sustainability, 17(5), 1777. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051777
Review
For citations:
Eremchenko O.A. Brain drains from the agricultural sector: the impact of personnel shortages on innovative development of the rural economy. Economics of Science. 2025;11(3):83-96. (In Russ.) EDN: HLPZXL
JATS XML


























