PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AS AN INSTRUMENT OF STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The aim of the article is to deepen the theoretical, methodological and institutional framework of public–private partnership as an instrument of strategic planning for sustainable rural development. The paper examines public-private and public-private-community partnerships as instruments of strategic governance for sustainable rural development in the context of decentralization, European integration transformations and the post-war recovery of Ukraine’s economy. The theoretical, methodological and institutional principles for the formation of a multilevel architecture of public-private governance are substantiated, integrating national, regional and local levels of planning, financing, implementation and monitoring of partnership projects in rural areas. A conceptual model of interaction between government, business and the community is proposed, within which the territorial community is regarded not merely as a final beneficiary, but as a quasi-partner in strategic governance, social oversight and the legitimisation of managerial decisions. A process-based life-cycle model of public-private partnership projects is developed, combining instruments of strategic screening, financial structuring, risk allocation, ESG assessment, KPI monitoring and public oversight into a unified management system. It is demonstrated that the integration of public-private partnership mechanisms with the “Smart Villages” concept generates a synergistic effect in the fields of digitalisation, infrastructure development, agrarian innovation and social services, thereby enhancing the institutional capacity of communities and the investment attractiveness of rural territories. Key institutional, financial-economic, technological and legal determinants of partnership project performance are identified under conditions of heightened security, military and investment risks. The practical significance of the findings lies in the applicability of the proposed model by public authorities and local self-government bodies for the formulation of public-private partnership development programmes, the design of standard contractual frameworks, the establishment of competence centres, and the implementation of instruments for the strategic management of sustainable rural development.