IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v15y2025i15p1600-d1709809.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Agricultural Digital Transformation in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jinli Wang

    (College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)

  • Jun Wen

    (College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)

  • Jie Lin

    (College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China)

  • Xingqun Li

    (College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)

Abstract

With the digital economy continuing to integrate deeply into the agricultural sector, agricultural digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal driver of rural revitalization and the development of a robust agricultural economy. Although existing studies have affirmed the positive role of agricultural digital transformation in promoting rural development and enhancing agricultural efficiency, its spatiotemporal evolution patterns, regional disparities, and underlying driving factors have not yet been systematically and thoroughly investigated. This study seeks to fill that gap. Based on provincial panel data from China spanning 2011 to 2023, this study employs the Theil index, kernel density estimation, Moran’s index, and quantile regression to systematically assess the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of agricultural digital transformation at both national and regional levels. The results reveal a steady overall improvement in agricultural digital transformation, yet regional development imbalances remain prominent, with a shift from inter-regional disparities to intra-regional disparities over time. The four major regions exhibit a stratified evolutionary trajectory marked by internal differentiation: the eastern region retains its lead, while central and western regions show potential for catch-up, and the northeastern region faces a “balance trap.” Economic development foundation, human capital quality, and policy environment support are identified as the core driving forces of transformation, while other factors demonstrate pronounced regional and phase-specific variability. This study not only deepens theoretical understanding of the uneven development and driving logic of agricultural digital transformation but also provides empirical evidence to support policy optimization and promote more balanced and sustainable development in the agricultural sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Jinli Wang & Jun Wen & Jie Lin & Xingqun Li, 2025. "Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Agricultural Digital Transformation in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:15:p:1600-:d:1709809
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/15/1600/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/15/1600/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shu Wang & Yueling Yang & Heyao Yin & Jianya Zhao & Ting Wang & Xiaomei Yang & Jing Ren & Changbin Yin, 2025. "Towards Digital Transformation of Agriculture for Sustainable Development in China: Experience and Lessons Learned," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-29, April.
    2. Larisa Hrustek, 2020. "Sustainability Driven by Agriculture through Digital Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-17, October.
    3. Rui Wang & Jianwen Shi & Dequan Hao & Wenxin Liu, 2023. "Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Driving Mechanisms of Rural Industrial Integration in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, March.
    4. Wenxuan Geng & Liping Liu & Junye Zhao & Xiaoru Kang & Wenliang Wang, 2024. "Digital Technologies Adoption and Economic Benefits in Agriculture: A Mixed-Methods Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-24, May.
    5. Xing Niu & Fenghua Liao & Ziming Liu & Guancen Wu, 2022. "Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Driving Mechanisms of Land–Use Transition from the Perspective of Urban–Rural Transformation Development: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Xinxin Zhou & Tong Chen & Bangbang Zhang, 2023. "Research on the Impact of Digital Agriculture Development on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-20, January.
    7. Wanglin Ma & Andy McKay & Dil B. Rahut & Tetsushi Sonobe, 2023. "An introduction to rural and agricultural development in the digital age," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 1273-1286, August.
    8. Wen Yao & Zhuo Sun, 2023. "The Impact of the Digital Economy on High-Quality Development of Agriculture: A China Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Yupan Zhao & Xiaofeng Zhao & Jielun Yang, 2024. "Coupling Coordination and Influencing Factors Between Digital Village Development and Agricultural and Rural Modernization: Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-23, October.
    10. Han Hao & Chenyang Liu & Ling Xin, 2023. "Measurement and Dynamic Trend Research on the Development Level of Rural Industry Integration in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Rongtian Zhang & Xiaolin Zhang, 2022. "Spatial–Temporal Differentiation and the Driving Mechanism of Rural Transformation Development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Yuxin Zhu & Dazuo Tian & Feng Yan, 2020. "Effectiveness of Entropy Weight Method in Decision-Making," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2020, pages 1-5, March.
    13. Tianyu Qin & Lijun Wang & Yanxin Zhou & Liyue Guo & Gaoming Jiang & Lei Zhang, 2022. "Digital Technology-and-Services-Driven Sustainable Transformation of Agriculture: Cases of China and the EU," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, February.
    14. Hao Xu & Peilin Wang & Kai Ding, 2024. "Transforming Agriculture: Empirical Insights into How the Digital Economy Elevates Agricultural Productivity in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-20, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mei, Linfeng & Zheng, Yangyang & Tian, Mengling & Wu, Yu, 2024. "Driven by the policy or bent by the market? Cracking the digital transformation code of farmer cooperatives," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    2. Ha, Le Thanh, 2023. "An investigation of digital integration's importance on smart and sustainable agriculture in the European region," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    3. Jiabin Han & Wenbin Wei & Wenting Ge & Shuyun Liu & Yixiu Chou, 2025. "Digital Technology and Agricultural Production Agglomeration: Mechanisms, Spatial Spillovers, and Heterogeneous Effects in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-23, May.
    4. Zhen Wang & Xiaoyu Zhang & Hui Lu & Xiaolan Kang & Bin Liu, 2023. "The Effect of Industrial Agglomeration on Agricultural Green Production Efficiency: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-23, August.
    5. Shu Wang & Yueling Yang & Heyao Yin & Jianya Zhao & Ting Wang & Xiaomei Yang & Jing Ren & Changbin Yin, 2025. "Towards Digital Transformation of Agriculture for Sustainable Development in China: Experience and Lessons Learned," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-29, April.
    6. Zhiqiang Zhou & Wenyan Liu & Huilin Wang & Jingyu Yang, 2022. "The Impact of Environmental Regulation on Agricultural Productivity: From the Perspective of Digital Transformation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Bailin Zhang & Xueting Chen & Yan Zhou & Yining Zhang & Bingqian Zhai, 2025. "The Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Rural Industrial Integration Land in China: A Case Study in Qingdao, Shandong Province," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, April.
    8. Hui Yang & Jingye Li & Stefan Sieber & Kaisheng Long, 2025. "Does Digital Village Construction Affect the Sustainable Intensification of Cultivated Land Use? Evidence from Rural China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, April.
    9. Xiaosi Zhang & Jizhong Shao, 2024. "Evaluation of the Suitability of Street Vending Planning in Urban Public Space in the Post-COVID-19 Era," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-26, April.
    10. Rafael Martínez-Peláez & Alberto Ochoa-Brust & Solange Rivera & Vanessa G. Félix & Rodolfo Ostos & Héctor Brito & Ramón A. Félix & Luis J. Mena, 2023. "Role of Digital Transformation for Achieving Sustainability: Mediated Role of Stakeholders, Key Capabilities, and Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    11. Milagros C. Bales & Karen Luz P. Yap & Fatima T. Baliña & Leomarich F. Casinillo, 2025. "Interaction and problems in the abaca industry in Region VIII, Philippines," HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE - ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY, vol. 15(1), pages 3-19.
    12. Yaoyao Wang & Yuanpei Kuang, 2023. "Evaluation, Regional Disparities and Driving Mechanisms of High-Quality Agricultural Development in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, April.
    13. Mingyue Li & Pujie Zhao & Yu Sun, 2025. "Impacts of Green Perception Benefits and Environmental Regulation Intensity on Farmers’ Agricultural Green Production Willingness: A New Perspective of Technology Acquisition," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-33, June.
    14. Morgan Alamandi, 2025. "Sustainable Innovation Management: Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-31, May.
    15. Xiaozeng Wang & Jiabin Chen & Xingyan Du, 2024. "Understanding the impact of Internet access on farmers' willingness to participate in farmer professional cooperatives," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(7), pages 349-361.
    16. Yangyang Zheng & Feng Liao & Mengling Tian, 2025. "Examining the factors influencing the digital transformation of new agricultural operating entities: insights from Zhejiang, China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    17. Zhao, Yingrui & Hu, Songhua & Zhang, Ming, 2024. "Evaluating equitable Transit-Oriented development (TOD) via the Node-Place-People model," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    18. Danxue Fan & Meiyue Li, 2025. "Coupling and Coordinated Development Analysis of Digital Economy, Economic Resilience, and Ecological Protection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-25, May.
    19. Qiaoling Shi & Congyu Zhao & Gengchen Yao & Chuqiao Yang & Runfeng Yang, 2025. "Can New Digital Infrastructure Promote Agricultural Carbon Reduction: Mechanisms and Impact Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-23, August.
    20. Yang Wei & Tetsuo Kidokoro & Fumihiko Seta & Bo Shu, 2024. "Spatial-Temporal Assessment of Urban Resilience to Disasters: A Case Study in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:15:p:1600-:d:1709809. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.