ISSN 0798 1015
ISSN 0798 1015
Vol. 39 (Number 12) Year 2018. Page 20
Rassul A. KARABASSOV 1; Mayra Sh. BAUER 2; Sergey V. MOGILNYY 3; Assel A. MAUYANOVA 4; Svetlana A. MIKHNOVA 5
Received: 23/12/2017 • Approved:22/01/2018
ABSTRACT: Attraction of highly-qualified specialists and promising youth is traditionally one of the main problems in the farming sector. The paper studies the global trend towards urbanization, the disjuncture in the life quality and the level of income between the cities and the rural area as well as complexity of farming. These and other conditions cause the outflow of the most qualified personnel to the other sectors. The objective of this research is to study the general observed trend of Kazakhstan towards decrease in the number of young people engaged in the farming sector using the Akmola Region as an example. The paper describes the key conditions influencing the decision of the highly-qualified specialists about their employment in the farming sector. The methodical base of the research is composed of the general scientific research methods – analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, as well as structural and systematic approach. To collect initial data the authors used common empiric methods, such as survey, interview, observation and description. The slightly corrected results of the Akmola Region may be applied to the other regions of the Northern and Central Kazakhstan due to the similar social and economic parameters and structure of the agricultural industry. |
RESUMEN: La atracción de especialistas altamente calificados y la juventud prometedora es tradicionalmente uno de los principales problemas en el sector agrícola. El documento estudia la tendencia global hacia la urbanización, la disyuntiva en la calidad de vida y el nivel de ingresos entre las ciudades y el área rural, así como la complejidad de la agricultura. Estas y otras condiciones causan la salida del personal más calificado a los otros sectores. El objetivo de esta investigación es estudiar la tendencia general observada de Kazajstán hacia la disminución en el número de jóvenes que participan en el sector agrícola utilizando como ejemplo la región de Akmola. El documento describe las condiciones clave que influyen en la decisión de los especialistas altamente calificados sobre su empleo en el sector agrícola. La base metodológica de la investigación se compone de los métodos generales de investigación científica: análisis, síntesis, comparación, generalización, así como un enfoque estructural y sistemático. Para recopilar datos iniciales, los autores utilizaron métodos empíricos comunes, como la encuesta, la entrevista, la observación y la descripción. Los resultados ligeramente corregidos de la región de Akmola pueden aplicarse a las otras regiones del norte y centro de Kazajstán debido a los parámetros sociales y económicos similares y la estructura de la industria agrícola. |
Food production, including farming as part of Agro-Industrial Complex (AIC) is one of the prioritized sectors of accelerated industrial development in Kazakhstan. Deficiency of highly-qualified personnel is defined as one of the main problems of the sector (Ministry of Investment…, 2014).
According to the data of the Committee on Statistics of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Committee on Statistics…, 2016), in the second quarter of 2015 the general number of the people employed in the agricultural sector in the Republic of Kazakhstan was equal to 1 584.3 thousand or 18.4% of the total number of the employed population. The youth amounted 25.5% of the total number of the employed people in the industry. According to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of November 2013, the deficiency in the specialists with higher education diplomas in agriculture was equal to 1 544 people (Holz-Clause and Jost, 1995).
Annually 2000 agricultural specialists graduate from all the universities of Kazakhstan. In the KATU alone in 2015 there were 968 graduates of agricultural profiles, in 2016 – 915 graduates, while in the next years 940 graduates per year is forecasted. If all the graduates of agricultural profiles employed according to their specialization, the existing deficiency could be eliminated within a year.
Effective use of the allocated funds and achievement of the planned indicators will be based on the high-scale modernization of the farming sector and introduction of innovations. As the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev noted, “…the farming sector should be the place of employment, first of all for those, who introduces new technologies and constantly increases performance, working on the basis of the best international standards” (President of the Republic…).
Based on the above, sufficient motivation of highly-qualified specialists to their employment in the farming sector is pertinent and timely.
The authors analyzed sources that consider the creation of conditions necessary to attract highly qualified specialists to agriculture. As a result of reforms, agriculture should become an industry with a predominant number of medium and large agricultural producers, embed the necessary agro-industrial technologies and use them in the right way.
Dalin E.E. said that a significant part of internal migrants are young people (Dalin, 2016, p. 29-37). In the sphere of interests of young people there are a number of economic factors, including employment, incomes, savings, expenditures, access to education and health care. Aliyarov E.K. believes that agriculture will develop, since information power in the hierarchy of state power occupies a special place and does not lose its relevance and importance in agriculture (Aliyarov, 2011, p. 98-121). If we consider the example of Japan, they are ready to make serious investments in the development of necessary knowledge, which contributes to the development of any industry (Bovin et al., 2009, p. 56-58).
In the agro-industrial complex of Kazakhstan, there are still a number of shortcomings - low rates of technological modernization, financial instability, insufficient investment in the development of the industry, shortage of personnel, etc. (Beysengaliev, 2010, p. 46-59). There are barriers to the development of the industry.
The current situation is caused by the graduates’ lack of motivation sufficient for employment in the farming sector. For example, the farming sector in the context of the State Program of Accelerated Industrial-Innovative Development 2015-2019 will be developed in compliance with the Agrobusiness-2020 Industrial Program (Legislation of the CIS…), according to which KZT 3 122.2 billion ($17.2 billion) will be invested to the AIC.
The Akmola Region is one of the main agricultural regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2014 it had 22.7% of the total planted acreage (4.83 million ha) and 9.4% of the agricultural gross product in Kazakhstan. The share of the agricultural sector in the GRP (Gross Regional Product) is equal to approximately 22-25% (Holz-Clause and Jost, 1995). As of July, 1 2015 in the Akmola Region there are 4581 agricultural producers, including 1007 legal entities and 3574 family-operated farms.
The rural area of the Akmola Region employs 53.5 thousand people aged from 15 to 28. Compared to 2010, this indicator decreased by 34%. At the same time, if in 2010 the level of unemployment among rural youth in the Akmola Region was 5.2%, then in 2014 (2.9%) that generally corresponded to the national dynamics (5.6% and 3.4% respectively) (Holz-Clause and Jost, 1995).
The researches were conducted in the Shortandy, Akkol, Bulandy, Zhaksy, Esil, and Ereymentau districts. These districts were selected by the following factors: they all have relatively similar structure of the population and farming conditions; Shortandy, Akkol and Bulandy districts of the Akmola Region are differently remote from Astana; Zhaksy and Esil districts are situated at another republican route Astana-Kostanay (Shilikbayev, 2006, p. 45-56; Tanic, 2004, p. 44-47).
The methodical base of the research is formed by the general scientific theoretical methods, such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, as well as structural and systemic approach (Government of the Republic…). For collecting the initial data the authors applied common empirical methods – survey, interview, observation, and description.
At defining the state programs peculiar for the Akmola Region the authors applied the methods of modeling and correlation of the data (Bencheva and Tepavicharova, 2013, p. 107-116). The survey covered 452 (in 2015 - 427) students of the senior years of the KATU agricultural faculties, or 48.1% of the total number of the students studying the specialties connected with AIC. Processing and analysis of the survey results were conducted both separately for each faculty and for all the faculties in general (Fred and White, 2013, p. 64-78).
Other factors obtained as a result of the survey may be classified by the following indicators the following group consists of the social and prestigious factors – the opportunity to realize one’s potential and to build up a successful career, though this indicator slightly decreased – from 14.5% to 13.1%; in the current conditions of the crisis an important role is played by the opportunity to gain state support at the initial stage – this indicator increased from 6.5% to 8.3%.
As one of the main negative factors of work in the rural area the respondents pointed out low salaries. In this regard it is interesting to define which level of salary is considered by the respondents acceptable for working in the rural area (Dosumova, 2012, p. 12-18).
The Results of the Survey Conducted among the Specialists Employed in the Farming Sector. Among the conditions causing unsatisfaction of the respondents with the work in farming sector low salaries prevail (Information and legal…). Therewith if in the survey 2015 this factor was put second (19.6%), then in survey 2016 it not only significantly increased (34.2%), but also took the first position, which does not correlate with the results of the answers to the previous questions (Miller and Lee, 2014, p. 249-257; Paragraph, 2015).
The Results of the Survey Conducted among the Heads of the Agricultural Enterprises. The specialists of local executive authorities took part in the research in the form of interview, expressed their opinions regarding peculiar results of the surveys and theses composed on their basis (Attracting Youth to Agriculture, 1993).
1. Among the heads the group of middle and old age prevails – 83.3% over 55, 16.7% – aged from 41 to 55.
2. 83.3% surveyed heads have been living in the rural area more than 20 years, the rest of them – less than 10 years.
3. Mean age of the employees in 16.7% agricultural enterprises was from 35 to 45, in 83.3% - over 45.
First of all, the respondents pointed out active construction of production facilities and update of the machinery, equipment, growth of performance of the agricultural production from 83.3% to 100.0% (Bencheva and Tepavicharova, 2014, p. 43-49). At the same time the heads (66.6%) pointed out significant worsening of the human resourcing to the agricultural enterprises both in specialists and in manpower.
According to the survey results, the greatest need is in agriculturers (26.1%), veterinarians (16.7%), zootechnicians (16.7%), machine servicers (16.7%) and the specialists in the sphere of processing and storage of agricultural production (16.7%). Considering the current situation the heads of the agricultural enterprises take various measures for motivation of highly-qualified specialists (Paragraph, 2001; Kuznetsova, 2001, p. 24-29).
Provision of good quality of drinking water in the volume necessary for sound living is not less important. The next measure – creation in the rural area of cultural, leisure, sporting facilities for organization of sound living of the population (Rakhmatullina, 2007, p. 14-16; Kiseleva, 2009, p. 85-87; Birimzhanova, 2010, p. 32-37). According to the results of the research, this measure may increase the employment potential of the farm by 5.6%. Another measure aimed at achieving the balance between the rural area and the city in the understanding of young specialists is creation of the housing and public utilities’ objects and services of a good quality which will contribute to increase of the highly-qualified specialists’ inflow up to 9.9%.
1. Among the key conditions influencing the highly-qualified specialists’ decision regarding employment in the farming sector may be the following: cheap loans for house-buying or house-building in the rural area; proximity to the city; qualitative motorway to the city; provision with free employer-rented housing; adequate salaries.
2. To the greatest extent the young specialists appreciate adequate salaries – 17.3% respondents consider this exact fact to be capable of influencing their positive decision regarding employment in the rural area (this data increased, compared to the previous survey – 14.7%).
3. Alongside with the strong points and opportunities of the implemented programs there are also their weak points and threats revealed by the authors of the Project. Weak Points: poor youth’s awareness of the programs; lack of mentor’s support; lack of the complex programs.
Threats: violations on the part of the program’s participants; poor reporting mechanism; crisis.
4. There are the following most effective democratic measures of attracting human resources for work in the farming sector on the basis of the state programs and strategies analysis of the agricultural enterprises: promoting prestige of the agricultural professions; formation of ‘social package’; solving the transport problem; provision of the rural areas with qualitative TV and Internet services.
Implementation of these measures will contribute to increase in the number of those who wish to work in the farming sector in average by 19%.
The work is carried out under the grant 45G / 16 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
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1. Candidate of Economic Sciences. Acting Associate Professor, Department of Marketing and Service, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University; Republic of Kazakhstan, E-mail: karabasov.rasul@mail.ru
2. Doctor of Economics. Professor, Department of Economic Theory and Law, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University; Republic of Kazakhstan, E-mail: mairak@bk.ru
3. Candidate of Economic Sciences, Deputy Chairman of the Board for Strategic Planning, Science and International Relations, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University; Republic of Kazakhstan, E-mail: s.mogilniy@gmail.com
4. Master of Economic Sciences, Economy Department, Department of Management, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University; Republic of Kazakhstan. E-mail: amauyanova@mail.ru
5. Candidate of Philosophy Sciences, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy. S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University; Republic of Kazakhstan, E-mail: Petrm1453@mail.ru