Russia’s rural territories are currently facing depopulation and economic stagnation, which can be mitigated through targeted investment projects. This article presents a roadmap for enhancing the investment attractiveness of the Krapivinskiy Municipal District in the Kemerovo Region. The authors review the theoretical and methodological foundations of assessing investment attractiveness in rural areas. Based on an analysis of the socio-economic conditions and investment potential of the Krapivinskiy District, they identify key barriers to its development. The proposed project is structured as a comprehensive roadmap that includes an assessment of its socio-economic impact. The research employs economic and statistical analysis, SWOT and PEST analyses, Michael Porter's competitive advantage framework, and a survey of district residents (n = 180). The most pressing challenges include severe depopulation, low economic diversification, underdeveloped infrastructure, and weak small business activity. Despite substantial natural resource potential, local investment remains insufficient. The resulting roadmap comprises four target clusters: 1) agro-industrial and logistics, 2) eco-tourism and recreation, 3) residential environment and utilities, and 4) energy and infrastructure. For each cluster, specific investment projects were developed, estimating the required capital, expected socio-economic outcomes, and measures to improve the regulatory, infrastructural, informational, and organizational investment climate. Implementation of the roadmap aims at stabilizing the population, boosting production of high-value-added goods, increasing investment volume, and enhancing the overall quality of life. This methodological approach and its specific recommendations can be adopted by local authorities in the Krapivinskiy District and other rural territories facing similar challenges.
Gryaznova et al. (Tue,) studied this question.