Abstract
One of the current challenges facing the regions of Kazakhstan is the impact of ongoing demographic processes on the functioning of the rural labour market and the sustainability of agricultural development. The aim is to identify the causes of instability in the rural labour market and the deterioration of the demographic situation in rural settlements, and to develop recommendations for providing the agricultural sector with a workforce possessing the necessary qualifications, as well as for raising the level of socio-economic development in the region’s rural areas. Methods – retrospective analysis using data from past periods, and comparative analysis to contrast the information obtained. The sources of information were statistical indicators from the National Statistics Bureau of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as information from research institutions and official sources. Data selection and analysis, as well as the calculation of indicators, were carried out using methods of mathematical and economic-statistical analysis with the aid of the EXCEL software package. Results – it is shown that the main factors behind the decline in agricultural production and in most rural areas of Western Kazakhstan are the lack of a clear vision of the role and place of rural residents and rural areas in the socio-economic development of the republic, and the weakening of state regulation in the agricultural sectors. Conclusions – prospects for increasing agricultural production.