IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i24p16898-d1301296.html

The Impact of the Digital Economy on Food System Resilience: Insights from a Study across 190 Chinese Towns

Author

Listed:
  • Haifeng Wang

    (Institute of Food and Strategic Reserves, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210023, China)

  • Guangsi Li

    (Institute of Food and Strategic Reserves, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210023, China)

  • Yunzhi Hu

    (Institute of Food and Strategic Reserves, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210023, China)

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the digital economy on the resilience of the food system, employing data from 190 towns in China and a difference-in-differences (DID) model. The results indicate that, between 2011 and 2020, the progress of the digital economy was instrumental in driving continuous improvements in the food system’s resilience in China. This conclusion stands firm after accounting for endogenous issues and conducting comprehensive robustness tests. According to a mechanism test, the digital economy can impact the resilience of the food system through three avenues: digital technology, digital finance, and human capital. Further research indicates that the influence of the digital economy on the resilience of the food system varies across regions and different food functional zones. These findings offer fresh insights and empirical evidence into the linkages between the digital economy and food system resilience. Such insights may bolster the food system’s resilience in developing countries and promote sustainable food development.

Suggested Citation

  • Haifeng Wang & Guangsi Li & Yunzhi Hu, 2023. "The Impact of the Digital Economy on Food System Resilience: Insights from a Study across 190 Chinese Towns," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:24:p:16898-:d:1301296
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/24/16898/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/24/16898/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fulian Li & Wuwei Zhang, 2023. "Research on the Effect of Digital Economy on Agricultural Labor Force Employment and Its Relationship Using SEM and fsQCA Methods," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Christophe Béné & Derek Headey & Lawrence Haddad & Klaus Grebmer, 2016. "Is resilience a useful concept in the context of food security and nutrition programmes? Some conceptual and practical considerations," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 123-138, February.
    3. Yevheniia Varyvoda & Douglas Taren, 2022. "Considering Ecosystem Services in Food System Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Jacobson, Louis S & LaLonde, Robert J & Sullivan, Daniel G, 1993. "Earnings Losses of Displaced Workers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(4), pages 685-709, September.
    5. Serge Savary & Sonia Akter & Conny Almekinders & Jody Harris & Lise Korsten & Reimund Rötter & Stephen Waddington & Derrill Watson, 2020. "Mapping disruption and resilience mechanisms in food systems," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 695-717, August.
    6. Sundkvist, Asa & Milestad, Rebecka & Jansson, AnnMari, 2005. "On the importance of tightening feedback loops for sustainable development of food systems," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 224-239, April.
    7. Ruoxi Zhong & Qiang He & Yanbin Qi, 2022. "Digital Economy, Agricultural Technological Progress, and Agricultural Carbon Intensity: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-18, May.
    8. Sarah Ruth Sippel & Moritz Dolinga, 2023. "Constructing agri-food for finance: startups, venture capital and food future imaginaries," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(2), pages 475-488, June.
    9. Humna Ahsana & M. Emranul Haque, 2015. "Threshold Effects of Human Capital: Schooling and Economic Growth," Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research Discussion Paper Series 217, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    10. Kai Zhao & Bintong Yu & Xiaoting Yang, 2023. "The Agricultural–Ecological Benefit of Digital Inclusive Finance Development: Evidence from Straw Burning in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.
    11. Xingmei Jia, 2023. "Digital Economy, Factor Allocation, and Sustainable Agricultural Development: The Perspective of Labor and Capital Misallocation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, March.
    12. Roman Chinoracky & Tatiana Corejova, 2021. "How to evaluate the digital economy scale and potential?," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 8(4), pages 536-552, June.
    13. Qi Jiang & Jizhi Li & Hongyun Si & Yangyue Su, 2022. "The Impact of the Digital Economy on Agricultural Green Development: Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, July.
    14. Ebrahim P. Karan & Sadegh Asgari & Somayeh Asadi, 2023. "Resilience assessment of centralized and distributed food systems," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(1), pages 59-75, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wenjie Li & Guanyu Guo & Huangying Gu & Shuhao Lai & Yuanjie Duan & Chengming Li, 2024. "Digital Economy as a Buffer: Alleviating the Adverse Effects of Land Resource Mismatch on Food Security," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, October.

    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. Li, Bo & Gao, Yuting, 2024. "Impact and transmission mechanism of digital economy on agricultural energy carbon emission reduction," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    2. Senhua Huang & Lingming Chen, 2023. "The Impact of the Digital Economy on the Urban Total-Factor Energy Efficiency: Evidence from 275 Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Jian Li & Xiangchen Sheng & Shuhua Zhang & Yixuan Wang, 2024. "Research on the Impact of the Digital Economy and Technological Innovation on Agricultural Carbon Emissions," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Cao, Lei & Wang, Guosong, 2024. "Impact of digital finance on agricultural output: From the perspective of digital development of agriculture," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Yi-feng Zhang & Min-xuan Ji & Xiu-zhi Zheng, 2023. "Digital Economy, Agricultural Technology Innovation, and Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, August.
    6. Zhenyu Qi & Yuezhou You, 2024. "The Impact of the Rural Digital Economy on Agricultural Green Development and Its Mechanism: Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-23, April.
    7. Yajian Ni, 2026. "The influence of digital economy on rural per capita disposable income: evidence from China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 8995-9016, April.
    8. Claudiu George Bocean, 2024. "A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Relationship between Digital Technology Use and Agricultural Productivity in EU Countries," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-24, March.
    9. 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.
    10. Fengshu Li & Jian Hou & Hongyang Yu & Qiuzhen Ren & Yifan Yang, 2025. "Harnessing the Digital Economy for Sustainable Agricultural Carbon Productivity: A Path to Green Innovation in China," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(2), pages 7208-7234, June.
    11. Jiazhen Ren & Min Wang & Xiaojing Li & Xiaoyu Ding, 2025. "Data Elements and Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on Public Data Openness in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-23, May.
    12. Zhiguang Hu, 2025. "How digital economy and green and low carbon policies affect non-agricultural employment?—Evidence from China," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    13. Bas Scheer & Wiljan van den Berge & Maarten Goos & Alan Manning & Anna Salomons, 2022. "Alternative Work Arrangements and Worker Outcomes: Evidence from Payrolling," CPB Discussion Paper 435, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    14. Yuegang Song & Songlin Jin & Zhenhui Li, 2022. "Venture Capital and Chinese Firms’ Technological Innovation Capability: Effective Evaluation and Mechanism Verification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-20, August.
    15. Laiqun Jin & Xiuyan Liu & Sam Hak Kan Tang, 2021. "High-Technology Zones, Misallocation of Resources among Cities and Aggregate Productivity: Evidence from China," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 21-11, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    16. Yolanda Kodrzycki, 2007. "Using unexpected recalls to examine the long-term earnings effects of job displacement," Working Papers 07-2, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    17. Gabrielle Wills, 2016. "Principal leadership changes in South Africa: Investigating their consequences for school performance," Working Papers 01/2016, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    18. Lídia Farré & Francesco Fasani & Hannes Mueller, 2018. "Feeling useless: the effect of unemployment on mental health in the Great Recession," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-34, December.
    19. Ying Zhang & Yingli Huang, 2023. "Killing Two Birds with One Stone or Missing One of Them? The Synergistic Governance Effect of China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on Pollution Control and Carbon Emission Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    20. Jose Garcia‐Louzao & Marta Silva, 2024. "Coworker networks and the labor market outcomes of displaced workers: Evidence from Portugal," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(3), pages 389-413, July.

    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:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:24:p:16898-:d:1301296. 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.