How Eurasia Group is developing people and advancing technology adoption to support the future of agriculture in Kazakhstan
In 2026, Eurasia Group received a HUMANRISE Award for Digital AgroLeaders — an educational initiative that has been introducing students to modern agriculture and preparing a new generation of professionals for an increasingly technology-driven industry for more than 15 years.
Representatives of the company receive an award at a ceremony in Almaty on June 4, 2026. From left: representatives of the award organizers, Meruert Sharypova, Zhansulu Baimagambetova and a We Project representative. Photo credit: Eurasia group
HUMANRISE recognizes achievements in human capital development and employer branding. For Eurasia Group, however, the value of Digital AgroLeaders extends far beyond HR. As a long-standing John Deere dealer and partner, Eurasia Group sees its role not only in bringing advanced agricultural technologies to Kazakhstan, but also in developing the people and capabilities needed to put those technologies to work. Advanced equipment, precision ag solutions, connectivity, and data can only deliver their full value when the industry has people who understand these technologies and know how to use them effectively.
Digital AgroLeaders helps build this technology readiness before young professionals even enter the workforce.
Technology adoption starts with people
Agriculture in Kazakhstan is undergoing a significant technological transformation. Precision ag, automation, connected machines, and data are creating new opportunities to improve productivity, operational efficiency, resource use, and decision-making.
At the same time, the skills required across the industry are changing. Technical professionals need to understand increasingly sophisticated equipment and digital systems. Agronomists need to know how to turn data into actionable insights. Farm managers need to understand the value of precision technologies and make informed, data-driven decisions. And the industry increasingly needs professionals who can bring equipment, agronomy, connectivity, and digital solutions together across the production system.
Developing this next generation is also part of a broader sustainability challenge. Agriculture in Kazakhstan must become more productive and efficient while responding to climate pressures, water scarcity, rising input costs, and workforce shortages — challenges that are increasing the importance of both advanced technology and new professional capabilities.
For a John Deere dealer, market development includes customer engagement, service support, equipment demonstrations, and helping customers adopt and get more value from technology. Digital AgroLeaders adds another dimension to this work: building the capabilities of future market participants before they even begin their professional careers.
Digital AgroLeaders: building technology readiness since 2010
In 2010, Eurasia Group launched its first student competition focused on John Deere equipment and technologies. Over the past 15 years, the initiative has evolved into an educational ecosystem that brings together students, universities, faculty, agricultural businesses, and industry experts.
Participants work on real-world business challenges, attend master classes, explore modern agricultural technologies, and gain access to mentorship, internships, and career development opportunities.
Finalists of the Digital Agroleaders 2026 competition with the company’s Chief Operating Officer Sergei Georgievich Glocke and brand partners. Photo credit: Eurasia group
For students, this provides practical experience that complements their university education. For the agricultural industry, it helps create a generation of professionals entering the workforce with a deeper understanding of precision ag, connected machines, digital agriculture, and the role data can play in improving farm performance.
For Eurasia Group, the ambition goes beyond developing future employees. Digital AgroLeaders is designed to help young people see agriculture as a modern, innovative, and attractive industry in which they can build meaningful careers and contribute to the future of Kazakhstan.
2026: reaching a new scale
In 2026, Digital AgroLeaders reached the largest scale in the project’s history. More than 2,500 students from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the initiative — more than twice as many as the previous year — while the program also expanded its geographic reach.
As a result, thousands of future agronomists, engineers, technical specialists, IT professionals, and agricultural leaders have had the opportunity to experience modern, technology-enabled agriculture beyond the university classroom.
The long-term value of this reach goes beyond the number of students involved. By introducing future agricultural professionals to precision ag, connected machines, and data-driven farming early in their careers, Digital AgroLeaders helps build a broader base of knowledge and technology readiness across the industry. Over time, these capabilities can support faster technology adoption, more effective use of advanced solutions, and stronger decision-making across Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector.
“We believe that technology alone does not transform an industry — people do. Bringing advanced equipment and digital solutions to the market is only part of the equation. We also need to develop the knowledge and capabilities required to unlock their full potential. Digital AgroLeaders reflects our long-term commitment to developing people, supporting innovation, and contributing to a more productive and sustainable future for agriculture in Kazakhstan,” said Sergey Glokke, COO of Eurasia Group.
External recognition of a long-term strategy
In 2026, this approach received external recognition through the HUMANRISE Award.
The Digital Agroleaders final was held in Kokshetau on April 2, 2026. Photo credit: Eurasia group
For Eurasia Group, the award recognizes more than 15 years of investment in the next generation of agricultural professionals. It also reflects a broader approach to market development — one in which technology, knowledge, and people advance together.
The long-term partnership between Eurasia Group and John Deere is an important part of this approach, combining technology expertise with knowledge transfer, capability development, service support, and customer adoption.
The HUMANRISE Award recognizes the success of Digital AgroLeaders, but the initiative’s greater value lies in its long-term impact: helping build the skills and technology readiness that will support a more productive, innovative, and sustainable future for agriculture in Kazakhstan.
