It was established that the market transformation of property relations in agriculture led to the formation of a complex economy, the development of small-scale production, which is organically combined and successfully complements large and medium forms of management.

It is proved that the social significance of personal country farms manifests itself in counteracting unemployment, creating opportunities for income growth, improving the quality of life, social security, self-organization of rural residents. The social aspect of OSG's activity is particularly important in times of economic crisis, when in agriculture and most other sectors massive job cuts are applied.

It is generalized that in view of the diversity and diversity of the OSG functions, in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the essence of the investigated category, the classification of functions of rural households on the orientational basis of interaction with various spheres of social activity was conducted. It is substantiated that this characteristic corresponds to the essence of the OSG to the greatest extent, since it allows us to comprehensively characterize the research object as a complex category, which is an organic and inalienable component of several different socioeconomic systems different in its nature.

The typical functions of a personal country economy are systematized, taking into account the requirements of three components of social life: social, economic, organizational. It is concluded that the functions of OSG population in their essential content are similar to the functions of agrarian entrepreneurship subjects.

It is proved that personal country farms, despite the low marketability, carry out a number of socially important functions now, is an additional reserve for ensuring the growth of agricultural output, which the rural population perceives as a need for survival. It was emphasized that the development of OSG is closely linked with the provision of food security of the country, which led to the idea of ​​strengthening their role and importance in the formation of commodity supply and sustainable development of rural areas. It is envisioned that in case of non-dilution of the OSG value in the development of agriculture in the country, the conversion of a country farmer into an ordinary hired worker may lead to negative consequences for the whole society, such as the settlement of the rural population, the loss of their sense of ownership on their land and motivation to work, rural lifestyle and ultimately the domestic country traditions and culture.

Key words: personal country economy, function, rural population, rural territories, rural households.

.

doi: 10.33245/2310-9262-2019-148-1-121-132