Contemporary Aspects of Correlation between Agriculture and Rural Development

In most countries, agriculture represents a strategic economic sector. In developed countries, the share of agriculture in GDP amounts only to 2-3%, but this industry assists in development of other sectors as well: trade, tourism, chemical and mechanical/machine industry, etc. Nowadays, great attention is paid to environmental protection and production of quality products. Sustainability has become a key determinant of agricultural production. Modern agriculture is focused onto productive and intensive production, but also towards multifunctional development of rural areas. Implementation of integral rural development and new regional concept of development sublimates several objectives: economic and social progress, demographic stability, environmental and cultural heritage protection, etc. This development model is mainly introduced in developed countries, but also in developing countries. A greater scope of social problems, in addition to the production, is resolved by doing so,. However, the results of the rural development policy differ from one country to another. Today, methods for measurement of rurality have been developed. Agriculture and rural development are in constant interaction, but the advocates of direct support for agriculture continue to oppose territorial approach and subsidies for rural development.