Balanced Development of Rural Ukraine

The current state of the rural development in Ukraine, the main problems that affect the living standards of the rural population, the causes that have led to the recessionary status of the rural development have been examined. The resource potential of the rural areas, including natural, recreational, manpower and productive resources, the status and social problems of the village have been analyzed. The means to ensure the balanced development of the rural areas have been suggested. In order to employ them, one should take into account the EU goalposts, including: the implementation of multi-functional role of agriculture in society through special programs, taking as a basis the SAPARD program used by the EU; certification of the rural areas; introduction to the rural areas the urban standards of quality of life; reorganization of public administration in agriculture at all levels and the rural self-government; devising and implementation of the programs to support the development of agricultural credit cooperatives; devising and implementation of the programs of social and engineering infrastructure development in the rural areas.