Аңдатпа
The article analyzes the efficiency of agricultural cooperation in Kazakhstan’s livestock sector under existing institutional constraints that affect the development of the agrarian sector. The study aims to assess the role of cooperative forms of management in enhancing farm performance, identify factors that limit their potential, and propose measures to improve their effectiveness. The research methodology combines general scientific and specialized methods, including analysis, synthesis, statistical processing, and comparative approaches. The empirical base relies on official statistical data from the Republic of Kazakhstan, including materials from the Bureau of National Statistics and analytical reports of the Ministry of Agriculture for 2022–2024. The study applies dynamic and comparative methods to assess changes in the number of cooperatives, membership, and production volumes over time and across regions. It is established that although the number of cooperatives and the volume of their production have increased, the proportional participation of farms in cooperative activities and their contribution to total livestock output remain limited. Only about 2% of farms participate in cooperative forms, indicating low coverage and incomplete utilization of cooperative potential. The limited efficiency of cooperatives is caused by a combination of institutional and organizational-human factors, including low motivation for self-organization, insufficient managerial competencies, financial weakness, and historically formed distrust of collective management forms. It is demonstrated that under effective organizational models, strengthened management mechanisms, and the adoption of digital technology, cooperatives can play a crucial role in increasing the resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability of small farms, expanding access to markets and financial resources, and enhancing regional food security. A coordinated set of institutional, organizational, and technological measures is proposed to improve cooperative efficiency, including the transformation of state support, development of managerial competencies, and digitalization of cooperative operations. These measures also emphasize capacity-building, educational programs, consultation networks, and mentoring based on successful cooperative cases. The results contribute to understanding the limitations and opportunities of agricultural cooperation in Kazakhstan. They provide practical guidance for policymakers, cooperative managers, and rural stakeholders, supporting the transition from formal associations to effective business-oriented cooperatives. Further research should assess not only economic outcomes but also environmental sustainability, optimal cooperative models adapted to national specifics, and the impact of digital innovations on the transformation of rural cooperative systems. Keywords: agricultural cooperation; farms; livestock; agricultural sector; economic efficiency; state support; Kazakhstan.