The article presents the role of small agribusiness in the development of the agricultural sector of the Russian economy in the post-pandemic reality, on the basis of forecast calculations and assessment of current trends in the development of the domestic agricultural sector, the effectiveness of which depends on ensuring sustainable rural development, preserving the historical appearance and territorial integrity of the country. The article examines the impact factors of Covid 19 that determine the development of Russian agriculture in the medium term and proves the need for the development of a large-scale agricultural sector of the economy. The calculation and analytical tools of the study are based on the methods of economic statistics, which allowed us to analyze the structural dynamics of the country's agricultural sector and determine the forecast parameters for the development of small agribusiness. The main forecast volumes of production by small agribusiness in rural areas of such types of food as grain, sunflower, meat and milk for the period up to 2025 are determined. Examples of adaptation of the agricultural sector to the conditions of post-pandemic reality abroad are given. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2020.