From infrastructure to environment: quality of life of the rural population as a mechanism for the reproduction of human capital

The relevance of this study is determined by the persistent migration outflow of the rural population, a shortage of qualified personnel in the agro-industrial complex, and a decline in the reproductive potential of rural areas, which together threaten food security and the spatial connectivity of the regions of the Russian Federation. The state program «Integrated Development of Rural Areas» implemented in the country and the Spatial Development Strategy until 2030 make the quality of life of the rural population a priority of regional policy. However, accumulated experience shows that a predominantly infrastructure-based approach – the construction of social facilities, transport, and engineering infrastructure – does not reverse migration flows or close the personnel shortage in the agro-industrial complex. The purpose of this article is to justify a shift to considering the quality of life of the rural population as a mechanism for the reproduction of human capital and to propose an integrated approach based on the formation of a continuous educational and production environment in rural areas. Based on the systematization of scientific research from 2018-2025. It is shown that existing studies examine institutions for human capital development in rural areas – preschool and general education, vocational training, and agro-industrial production – primarily in fragmented terms. A holistic view of their interrelationships as a unified mechanism for spatial inclusion in rural areas has not yet been developed. This paper proposes a concept according to which the quality of life in rural areas is ensured by the functioning of a continuous chain of «kindergarten-school-university-enterprise» within a rural municipality. This chain simultaneously addresses three objectives: the continuous reproduction of human capital throughout the life cycle, the spatial inclusion of rural residents, and the sustainability of the region’s agro-industrial complex. The findings are applicable to regions with significant agricultural potential and risks of migration outflow (the Republic of Buryatia is considered for its applicability).

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