OREANDA-NEWS. March 25, 2013. Development of rural communities and formation of the economies of rural areas is a separate topic for Ukrainian government. It was stated by the President at the meeting of the Council of Regions.

The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine has more than 28 thousand rural inhabited localities where the one third of Ukrainian population lives. According to him, almost 5 million people are employed in agricultural sphere; it is about 34% of rural population.

At the same time, Viktor Yanukovych stressed that there were some other problems of rural areas. “Village is first of all the environment and lifestyle of people; only then it is the sphere of production,” the Head of State said.

The President emphasized that the creation of modern life conditions for rural areas in social, cultural and spiritual context was the top-priority task of the local government. “That’s why land, medical, educational and social protection reforms should be aimed at the improvement of villagers’ life,” Viktor Yanukovych noted.

“Complex and balanced development of rural areas is a standard of the EU and the benchmark for national regional policy of Ukraine,” the President noted. The increase of income and quality of life in villages is one of the priorities of state regional policy. “The increase in rent for land usage by large enterprises should facilitate these goals,” Viktor Yanukovych said.

“One of the most important tasks of the Government is to guarantee new jobs in rural areas, involve young specialists in the development of rural areas, facilitate development of agricultural enterprises, farming etc.,” the President noted.

The Head of State instructed the Government to ensure funding of measures aimed at supporting farmers-beginners and facilitate the establishment of family farming. “The implementation of these objectives will provide conditions for achieving strategic goals like increasing commercialization of agricultural production and provision of high-quality food to the domestic market," Viktor Yanukovych stressed.

The country and agricultural producers must unite, increase consumer, marketing, servicing and credit cooperation and restore entrepreneurship activity in order to improve the economic efficiency of agricultural production and achieve high social standards of life in villages.

The Head of State also emphasized the importance of support to cooperation in villages. “The government must guarantee state assistance to the development of agricultural service cooperatives at stages of their creation. The Government must provide favorable conditions to approximate agricultural producers to the consumer and create modern market mechanisms,” he added.

“Local government should facilitate holding of agricultural fairs and exhibitions and organize efficient work of wholesale agricultural markets. The efficiency of state support must be complemented with the introduction of program approach to the development of rural areas,” the Head of State noted.

He stressed that priorities of rural areas development would be represented in the new project of State Strategy of Regional Development until 2020 and in regional strategies of economic and social development after their revision. “Modern Ukrainian village must have a developed infrastructure – a platform for attracting investments and restoring entrepreneurship activity. Complex development of agricultural market, building of roads, transport sphere, HCS and engineering are integral parts of this infrastructure. This should be a priority of state, regional and local government,” Viktor Yanukovych said.