Employment of the rural population in Ukraine: Qualitative and quantitative dimensions

The rural labour market in Ukraine has undergone significant transformations due to shifts in the role and format of the agricultural sector’s impact on rural development, the administrative-territorial reform and decentralisation processes, and the full-scale aggression by the Russian Federation. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of key factors on rural employment in Ukraine and to identify principal directions for increasing its level. The research was grounded in a systems approach. Analytical tools included comparative analysis, averages and relative values method, graphical analysis, trend analysis, index analysis, correlation-regression analysis (multifactor model), etc. Employment trends among the rural population in Ukraine from 2000 to 2023 were examined. It was found that since 2013, the employment rate among the working-age rural population has exhibited a downward trend. The study identified key issues and specific characteristics of rural employment under current conditions. An econometric model of rural employment among the working-age population was developed, revealing its direct dependence on real gross domestic product, the number of unemployed persons undergoing vocational training, and wage levels. A negative influence on rural employment was found to be exerted by increased investment volumes and the number of enterprises, attributed to higher technological intensity, the emergence of new employment forms, consolidation and restructuring of employment, and ongoing military actions. The article outlined priority measures for enhancing rural employment. The key findings, quantitative assessments, proposals, and conclusions might be utilised by public authorities in revising existing policies and developing new strategic programmes on rural employment, considering current challenges, internal risks, and the protracted Russian-Ukrainian war