Essence of the cluster as the latest network organization of joint activities in agroindustrial production

The purpose of the article is to generalize theoretical foundations, as well as the world and domestic experience of forming agrarian clusters, and propose to agricultural producers and employees of state and local government authorities perspective models of cluster organization of competitive agro-industrial production in Ukraine. Research methodology. In the research process have been used the following scientific methods: abstract and logical for systematization of available theoretical material and practical experience of the cluster organization of agro-industrial production; induction and deduction to determine the principles of functioning and distinguishing types of agrarian clusters; modeling to justify theoretical models of interactions between cluster participants and organizational models of agro-industrial clusters. Research results. The theoretical bases, world experience and national initiatives on the network organization of agroindustrial production according to cluster approaches have been generalized, and advantages and principles of functioning of agrarian clusters have been characterized. There have been distinguished the “network” and ”centrifugal” theoretical models of network interactions of cluster participants, and types of agro-industrial clusters have been defined according to the functional orientation: agroproducts for development of high-value agricultural food chains; innovative for strengthening of the links between agricultural science and education institutions and agro-industry to ensure its innovative development; territorial production for improvement of the resource potential in providing the integrated development of agriculture and rural areas. Elements of scientific novelty. The proposed organizational models of agrarian clusters are aimed, in particular, at attracting rural households, family farms, and other forms of small agricultural entrepreneurship to joint activities in the organized agricultural market and the formation of high-value agricultural food chains. Practical significance. The necessity of orientation of agricultural producers, employees of state and local self government authorities, institutions of agrarian science and education for practical actions on establishing joint activity on cluster models in order to form competitive innovative and socially oriented integration agro-industrial formations has been determined. Tabl.: 3. Figs.: 1. Refs.: 12.