MODERN APPROACHES TO INCREASING EMPLOYMENT AND WELFARE IN RURAL AREAS

This article examines contemporary approaches to increasing employment and improving welfare in rural areas, with particular attention to the conditions of Uzbekistan and the Bukhara region. The study considers the diversification of rural employment, support for micro and small entrepreneurship, digitalization, development of value chains, vocational skills, women's and youth employment, and improvements in local infrastructure as mutually reinforcing instruments of inclusive rural development. The research applies comparative analysis, statistical analysis, synthesis, and a systematic approach using official statistical data and recent international development reports. The findings indicate that sustainable welfare improvements require not only the creation of jobs, but also higher productivity, stable income sources, access to markets and finance, and stronger links between agriculture, manufacturing, and services.