Despite the significant resource potential of Kazakhstan’s rural territories, their contribution to sustainable economic growth remains limited due to infrastructure deterioration, technological backwardness, declining rural population, and insufficient investment activity. These factors create structural barriers to the development of the agro-industrial complex and exacerbate regional disparities. The study examines the role of rural territories as a determinant of Kazakhstan’s sustainable economic growth, identifies key macroeconomic trends in the agricultural sector for the period 2015– 2024, and outlines effective directions of state support aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the agricultural economy. The research employs comparative and statistical analysis, graphical modeling, and structural-functional and systems approaches. Aggregated macroeconomic data were used, including indicators of rural population dynamics, investment in the agro-industrial complex, the share of agriculture in GDP, and the contribution of rural territories to the national economy. The findings show that despite the decline in the rural population, the contribution of rural territories to GDP and the share of the agro-industrial complex demonstrate a stable upward trend. This dynamic is associated with rising labor productivity, technological modernization, and increased investment inflows. The analysis confirms that investment serves as a key driver of structural transformation in agriculture, generating a cumulative effect through improved efficiency, development of logistics infrastructure, and the introduction of innovations. Major barriers to rural development were identified, and policy measures aimed at strengthening food security, fostering cooperation, advancing digitalization, and enhancing regional economic resilience were proposed. The results confirm the strategic importance of rural territories in ensuring Kazakhstan’s long-term sustainable economic growth.