Аннотация
Sustainable development of the agro-industrial complex requires aligning production efficiency, natural resource conservation, and access to economic opportunities. This study identifies conditions for effective use of innovations and digital technologies and proposes an assessment model for Kazakhstan. The methods comprise an analytical literature review, document analysis, and descriptive processing of official statistics. The quantitative evidence covers investment in agriculture, forestry, and fishing in 2024–2025 and adoption of water-saving technologies in 2023–2025. Investment increased from KZT 737.9 billion to KZT 1,153.6 billion, or 56.3% in current prices, with volume growth of 51.8%. The share of own funds fell from 59.19% to 54.61%, but it remained the leading financing source. The area covered by water-saving systems increased from 237.1 to 543.5 thousand hectares, a 129.2% increase. These indicators describe modernisation conditions and technical coverage but do not establish a causal effect of digitalisation. An analytical model links observation, data validation, decision-making, implementation, and outcome measurement. The proposed indicators cover economic, environmental, social, and organisational dimensions. Practical applications involve assessing total ownership costs, resource intensity, accessibility of adoption, and service reliability. Regional adaptation, cooperative equipment use, and information system interoperability are justified. The contribution is the distinction between digital equipment deployment and sustainable operational outcomes. The absence of farm microdata and a comparable control group limits the study. Further validation requires observations across several production seasons and assessment of costs, resources, and outcomes before and after technology adoption.