EN
This article describes the results of a novel study on the role of partnerships and initiative groups in the use of production factors in rural areas in the Zemgale Region. The study confirms the conclusion that there are rural partnerships in the Zemgale Region, the main agricultural region in Latvia, and it offers solutions for problems related to improving the quality of life and more efficient use of production factors in the districts of this region. The article summarizes the results of a survey. The results reveal the opinions of respondents on problems characteristic of the region. The most pressing infrastructure problems are the condition of roads, the water supply and waste management. With regard to intellectual factors, inhabitants of the region consider education, knowledge, skills, innovation and information management as the most important.