Traditional land use and employment in agriculture in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia): An assessment of dynamics and performance

The relevance of this study is determined by the need for a comprehensive assessment of the efficiency of agricultural land use in the northern region, where agricultural production is characterized by a high Aproportion of traditional, low-commodity farming practices, which shape a unique employment structure. The objective of this study was to analyze the dynamics and relationships between the employment structure characteristic of the traditional sector and land use performance indicators in agriculture in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) for the period 2020–2024. The methodological framework was based on the principles of regional economics and the economics of the agro-industrial complex (AIC). The empirical basis of the study was formed by data from Rosstat and the Territorial Office of the Federal State Statistics Service for the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The study utilized comparative, economic-statistical, index, and correlation time series analysis methods. The scientific novelty lies in the application of the developed methodological approach to assessing land use performance, which takes into account the structural characteristics of employment and production prevalent in the republic’s agricultural sector. The study’s results showed that, over the analyzed period, household farms maintained their dominant role in generating gross output, and also revealed a steady increase in overall efficiency indicators (land productivity and labor productivity) against a background of structural stability. A synchronous positive trend was established between the growth of production and the increase in land productivity. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of analytical tools for substantiating agricultural policy aimed at supporting the efficiency of the entire multi-sector sector, which is a key condition for the sustainable development of rural areas in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).