MODERN APPROACHES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY ENGINEERING IN NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN BASED ON DIGITALIZATION

Abstract

The article examines modern approaches to the digital modernization of agricultural machinery engineering in Northern Kazakhstan. The aim of the study was to develop a methodological tool for comparing the level of digital equipment of individual agricultural machines and machinery and tractor fleets. The study is review-analytical and methodological in nature. The information framework included scientific publications published in 2010–2025 and selected from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, as well as official materials of the European Commission and FAO. Systematic and comparative analysis, scenario modelling, and one-factor sensitivity analysis were used. An integrated digitalization index (D) was proposed, incorporating the extent to which GPS navigation, IoT monitoring, digital management platforms, and artificial intelligence tools have been implemented. Unlike macro-level digital maturity indices, the proposed indicator is intended to assess the digital functionality of a specific machine or machinery fleet. The weighting coefficients were preliminarily determined based on assessments by 12 specialists from the agro-industrial complex of the Kostanay region. Scenario-based testing was conducted using five digital configuration options. The calculated values of D index ranged from 0.25 to 1.00. For the baseline scenario, D = 0.42 was obtained. When the weighting coefficients were varied individually by ±20%, the index ranged from 0.389 to 0.448 while remaining within the initial classification category. The results confirm the internal robustness of the calculation methodology; however, they do not substitute for its validation using a sample of actual machinery and tractor fleets. The D index can be used for technical audits of machinery fleets, comparison of digital modernization options, and selection of equipment for pilot implementation.