The paper aims to analyse methodological approaches to the development of rural areas, considering the environmental and economic conditions of the North. We claim that, from a social perspective, the sectoral approach based on the agricultural production policy is ineffective. It is advisable to apply an integrated approach. It considers rural development as a process of improving the life of the population who is directly related to the use of land and other biological resources included in the system of the geographical division of labour and related social relations. This study not only analyses production indicators but also assesses the potential and efficient use of rural areas and households. They include homesteads, public infrastructure, municipal infrastructure in rural (and partially urban) settlements and settlement systems, and natural landscapes with certain social and economic functions. The example of the Komi Republic demonstrates underutilisation of the rural natural resources and labour potential, an extremely small investment in rural infrastructure, and low living standards of the rural population. To improve the situation in the Republic, it is necessary to develop agriculture and assess its strategic trends, considering the objective need to increase the self-sufficiency of the population with crop and livestock products. Other directions for development are the diver- sification of the rural economy and its landscape adaptation; the strengthening of the relations between agriculture, forestry and developing manufacturing industry; the establishment of new relations in the agricultural sector following the «city — village» line. Moreover, it is essential to preserve the Northern ethnic culture and traditional economic activities and introduce environ- mental services into the economic specialisation of municipalities. The mechanisms for implementing these directions include innovative modernisation of rural spatial and economic systems, as well as tools for regulatory, organisational, and financial support of rural production and life that considers its Northern specifics. We identified a set of directions and mechanisms of strategic planning. Comparison of rural development with the officially adopted agricultural strategies and programmes revealed that they differ significantly, especially in social and territorial aspects. It is necessary to eliminate this significant gap in the spatial development planning for improving the living standard of the rural population.

The negative experience of economic reforms during the 1990s showed that excessive bias towards export-import economic relations to the detriment of social reproduction, especially without reference to internal social and technological problems, threatens the integrity of the Russian market space. At present, the Arctic and other territories of the Russian North are exposed to the inherent instability of external markets for hydrocarbons and mineral raw materials. Additionally, attitudes towards energy production and consumption have undergone profound changes in recent years. In accordance with the demands of the «green economy», attention has been increasingly focused on qualitative and structural aspects in place of quantitative indicators. In order to increase production of high-quality light oil and petrochemical products that are competitive on world markets, domestic fuel and energy companies have responded by modernising oil refineries and gas processing plants. With the transition of hydrocarbon production to exploiting smaller deposits, the decline of the coal industry and a growing scarcity of in-demand raw materials (gold, diamonds, rare earth metals, nickel, copper, titanium), the economic situation in the Russian North is increasingly characterised by small forest chemistry enterprises producing commercial products for medical, agricultural and household purposes. In addition, a growth in domestic and foreign demand for organic products supports reindeer husbandry, fishing and even foraging for mushrooms and berries. An important objective for national economic decision-makers consists in the implementation of technologies critical to the development of the northern regions. In the process of strengthening the Russian socio-economic space, active interaction between participating regional governments plays a significant role. The aforementioned issues are considered in the context of spatial development theory and other concepts underpinning the formation of northern economic systems. The study findings can be used to inform Arctic strategies, programmes and long-term plans for the socio-economic development of the Russian North.