Agricultural intensification in the steppe zone of Central Asia has increasingly exacerbated the tension between food security and the conservation of natural ecosystems. This study proposes an integrated landscape planning methodology for Kazakhstan by adapting the German Landschaftsplanung approach and the Chinese concept of “ecological red lines” to the conditions of post-Soviet land use. The focus is on the analysis of soil degradation and biodiversity loss. It is applied to the Ayyrtau district of the North Kazakhstan region, an area characterized by a heterogeneous landscape mosaic composed of arable land, a substantial share of degraded land, vulnerable steppe ecosystems, and woodlands. Using GIS analysis and remote sensing data, we identify nine types of landscape units, which are operational units for evaluating landscape functions and planning priorities. The result of this work is a map of the zoning of the planning area, which defines seven modes of eco-oriented management, ranging from strict protection to active agricultural production. The study demonstrates that the transition from an extensive monocultural system to a landscape-adaptive strategy can improve the spatial coordination between agricultural use and ecological protection, strengthen the regional ecological framework, and enhance ecotourism potential. For the first time, an integrated zoning system is presented, designed for use by local authorities as a decision support tool aimed at preventing land degradation.

Sustainable development of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) requires an integrated assessment of investment activity, production performance, financial returns, and resource provision at the district level. This study evaluates the production and economic performance of 13 districts of the North Kazakhstan Region using a composite scoring approach based on seven groups of indicators: investment activity, gross agricultural output, crop yields, livestock productivity, crop-production profitability, livestock-production profitability, and capital intensity. The information base includes official district-level statistics, materials of the regional agricultural authorities, data on fixed production assets for 2021–2023, and national land-use reporting. The results reveal substantial territorial differentiation. Kyzylzhar and Taiynsha districts form the high-performance group, Esil District is classified above average, whereas Ualikhanov District occupies the lowest position in the aggregate ranking. The analysis also identifies a scale-efficiency mismatch: large agricultural territories do not necessarily demonstrate high profitability or productivity, while several medium-sized districts achieve stronger returns on land and production resources. The findings provide a comparative basis for territorially differentiated agricultural policy, targeted investment support, technological modernization, and the development of processing infrastructure in the North Kazakhstan Region.