STAFFING SHORTAGE AS A BARRIER TO THE FORMATION OF HUMAN CAPITAL AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRARIAN SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY OF THE RUSSIA

Issue № 4, 2026, article № 24, pages 263-274

Section:

Language: Russian

Original language title: КАДРОВЫЙ ДЕФИЦИТ КАК БАРЬЕР ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ ЧЕЛОВЕЧЕСКОГО КАПИТАЛА И УСТОЙЧИВОГО РАЗВИТИЯ АГРАРНОГО СЕКТОРА ЭКОНОМИКИ РОССИИ

Keywords: AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, PERSONNEL SHORTAGE, COMPETITIVENESS, LABOR MARKET, HUMAN CAPITAL

Abstract: Human capital is the dominant factor in the sustainable and competitive development of the agricultural sector in the context of implementing import substitution policies, ensuring technological sovereignty, and ensuring food security in Russia. This paper examines the problem of personnel shortages in the agricultural sector of the Russian Federation, which poses a significant obstacle to the formation and reproduction of human capital and creates the risk of failing to achieve state-set development targets for the agricultural sector. The study draws on official statistics and analytical services and reveals a persistent trend of declining employment in agriculture, while the demand for personnel in agricultural organizations is growing. It emphasizes that the personnel shortage is characterized not only by quantity but also by quality: industry modernization processes and the introduction of Agriculture 4.0. elements are driving increasing demand for qualified specialists. It is also established that the labor market in the agricultural sector exhibits characteristics of a «job seeker's market», in which employers are experiencing difficulties filling positions and are forced to compete for talent. The study examines the motivational and institutional factors that influence job seekers' professional preferences in the labor market and determine their low level of interest in working in the agricultural sector. The findings demonstrate the multifactorial nature of the labor shortage in the agricultural sector and confirm the need for a targeted analysis of the causes, as well as the synchronized and coordinated implementation of measures at both the government and corporate levels to improve the attraction, training, and retention of qualified personnel.

Authors: Vlasova Tatiana Alexandrovna