The article presents the author’s calculations of the labor sphere state of rural areas of the Ural Federal District (Russia). It is substantiated that labor (human) capital is the most important element of ensuring the functioning of the entire agrarian sphere. The estimation of labor productivity in the agricultural sector, the rate of wage growth, as well as relative social and labor indicators of the agricultural direction to the general economic is conducted. The authors consider the ratio of agrolabor productivity growth and decrease in the number of workers in this sphere, which is associated with a number of factors, resulting in the construction of a system of sociolabor factors interaction contributing to the development of rural areas, based on analytical data

The article discusses the problems and substantiates the prospects for sustainable development of the agro-economic system and rural areas, based on forecast scenarios that allow more demanding scientific calculations, plans for the strategic development of rural areas and agro-economic systems, justifications before the adoption of state programs, as well as parameters of budget expenditures for state support, which include: assessment of risks affecting the implementation of planned indicators, including a fall in the growth of agricultural production; changes in the volume of export deliveries; shortcomings in streamlining the operation of organizational and economic mechanisms in the regions; barriers due to significant income differences between urban and rural populations; achieving the required level of employment in the countryside; access to social benefits; creating more comfortable living conditions; expanding the range of scientific research; an increase in the number of “marginal lands” that do not have the potential for profit; loss of agro-economic systems from market flaws. Recommendations are proposed for making changes to the programs for the development of rural areas in order to give them clearer guidelines for moving towards sustainability.

In the framework of the study, the authors consider conceptual approaches to improve the management system of agrarian sphere development of regions in the realities of this industry functioning in the Russian Federation. Agrarian sphere is shown in aspects of socio-economic territorial system with its subsystems. The transition mechanisms of the agrarian sphere to the rails of sustainable development due to the choice of priority development directions within the life cycle are presented. The necessity of applying an integrated approach to the solution of industrial and social problems of the agricultural sector of the country is proved and reasoned.