WWW.ECONOMYOFREGION.COM diversification potential directions and choosing the most appropriate one. On the six stage, we define the diversification integrity level. Lastly, we elaborate measures for the rural economy development and forecast their implementation. The conclusions of diversification diagnosis reflect the real situation and allow selecting alternative activities to increase the employment and living standards of rural population. The study's results can be used by the governing bodies in developing a differentiated policy of rural development.

The paper gives a scientific idea of rural areas’ development models. The critical analysis of both theoretical approaches towards the perspective models of rural areas’ development and their various scenarios is given. The territorial disproportions of rural areas’ development conditioned by the long-term dominance of the national rural areas’ development model are identified. Based on the outcome of both domestic and foreign practice, the article gives a survey that shows certain ways of how to modernize and correct the rural areas’ development model. Analyzing the theoretical aspect of rural areas’ steady development, the correlation between a variety of rural economy structure and multifunctional character of rural areas is found out which necessitates the diversification of rural economy by means of different businesses stimulation. It’s proved that rural economy is a complex socioeconomic system and its diversification is conditioned by object-subject interconnection. The authors define the structure of diversified rural economy capable of mobilizing the areas’ available resources and accumulating their major spheres and businesses: agricultural (traditional and lost); non-agricultural (industry and construction, forestry, folk craft and handicrafts; service industry (education, health care system, recreation, service occupation). On the basis of the three-pronged approach - “function-structure-target”-the model of rural areas’ diversified economy which has either some predominant industry or combination of different industries is worked out. The perspective directions of restructuring rural areas’ economy based on expert assessment are also defined in the article.

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the steady growth of agricultural production in the region and the lag in the development of social infrastructure, low attractiveness of the village. The presence of significant reserves of the spatial development of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) of the region makes it possible to optimistically predict that the project-targeted management of the implementation of the strategic priorities of the development of the AIC would improve the standard of living of the rural population and the spatial organization of territorial entities. The purpose of this scientific work is to substantiate the strategic directions for the development of the regional agro-industrial complex as a locomotive for the economic growth of the regional economy, contributing to the creation of comfortable living conditions for the rural population. The study used monographic and balance methods, economic and statistical ones, including cluster analysis, strategic analysis, theoretical and practical development of the authors. The study shows the increasing role of the agro-industrial sector in the region’s economy and substantiates the strategic directions of development: ensuring the growth rate of agricultural and food products, leading all-Russian indicators, expanding export-oriented agricultural production; formation of breeding and breeding base; the introduction of digital economy technologies in agriculture; greening production and the development of organic agriculture. To create comfortable living conditions and livelihoods in rural areas, the main priority areas have been proposed, related to meeting the needs of the rural population in well-equipped housing and increasing the level of integrated infrastructure in rural areas with social infrastructure facilities. The implementation of the identified strategic priorities for the development of the agro-industrial complex and the social infrastructure will help to increase the efficiency of using the reserves of the agro-industrial complex and rural areas.