Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev presented a new stage of comprehensive modernization of the agro-industrial complex at the Agricultural Workers' Forum, setting specific tasks for financing the industry, digitizing it, attracting investment, and developing exports. According to the President, the agricultural sector remains a strategic pillar of the country's economy, so adapting it to modern technology, high productivity, and global competitiveness is a top priority.

This year, the volume of preferential loans granted to agriculture exceeded 1 trillion tenge for the first time in the history of Kazakhstan. This is ten times more than the figure five years ago. To increase access to credit, the state introduced guarantee mechanisms. As a result, 1,300 farmers received loans guaranteed by the Damu Fund, and the problem of financing farmers with insufficient property was resolved. In addition, special attention is paid to the production of domestic machinery: 90 percent of the machinery purchased by farmers is produced in Kazakhstan. In order to renew the obsolete fleet of machinery, preferential leasing is used. The depreciation rate has decreased from 90 percent to 70 percent in four years. As part of the President's visit to the United States, a strategic agreement worth $ 2.5 billion was signed with John Deere, and over the next five years, about 3 thousand modern machines will be produced in our country.

At the forum, the Head of State emphasized the importance of digitizing agriculture. Artificial intelligence and new technologies are the main tools for increasing productivity and reducing costs. The number of farms using smart farms, agrodrones, satellite monitoring and AI elements is increasing in the country, but these changes have not yet become systematic. Therefore, the Government was instructed to fully integrate information systems in the agricultural sector and create a single digital architecture. The main tasks in this direction are the formation of a digital system that accurately records grain stocks, modernization of elevators and the introduction of an electronic control system. The role of the national agricultural census for effective management of the industry based on the collected data will also increase.

The President noted the urgency of increasing foreign investment in the agricultural industry and the production of deeply processed products. Currently, more than 200 investment projects have been prepared, with a total value of about 4 trillion tenge. If in 2023 the share of processed products was 35 percent, this year it reached 50 percent. Next year this figure should be increased to 70 percent. According to Tokayev, the agricultural sector is still limited to exporting raw materials, while deeply processed products can significantly increase the country's economic potential. Therefore, favorable conditions will be created for foreign investors with advanced technology.

Kazakhstan's export potential is also expanding significantly. Today, our country is among the world's top 10 grain exporters and is a leader in flour exports. Kazakh grain is exported to Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Great Britain, Vietnam, Morocco and Algeria, in addition to traditional markets. Exports of vegetable oil, oilseeds and mutton are increasing. Last year, Kazakhstan exported about 18 thousand tons of mutton, entering the top ten countries in the world for this product. The volume of agricultural exports today exceeds $ 5 billion. The President noted the need to widely promote the "Qazaq Organicfood" brand in the international market due to the growing demand for environmentally friendly products. To this end, the country has approved standards for organic products and systematic work is underway.

The Head of State also touched upon the issue of developing agricultural export logistics. The global demand for beef will grow to 233 million tons in the next ten years. Kazakhstan can become a significant player in this market. However, the system for implementing exports by air transport has not yet been fully established. Therefore, the Government has been instructed to transform the country's largest airports — the hubs of Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktobe, Karaganda and Aktau — into regional logistics centers for agricultural products. This will strengthen the transport infrastructure and create stable export channels.

According to President Tokayev, all of these initiatives are aimed at raising the agro-industrial complex to a new level and transforming Kazakhstan into a high-tech, export-oriented, and competitive agrarian power in the global market. As a result of reforms in the agrarian sector, the country's food security will be strengthened, and agriculture will become a driver of the economy.