IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i8p3639-d1636970.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital Economy and High-Quality Agricultural Development: Mechanisms of Technological Innovation and Spatial Spillover Effects

Author

Listed:
  • Jingyi Liang

    (School of Economics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250300, China)

  • Cuixia Qiao

    (School of Economics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250300, China)

Abstract

The digital economy has become a transformative force in modern agriculture, reshaping production methods and driving global sustainable development. Using panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2022, this paper constructs a comprehensive econometric framework using the generalized method of moments and the spatial Durbin models to reveal the mediating role of technological innovation and the existence of spatial spillover effects. The results show that (1) under different regression models, the digital economy significantly promotes the high-quality development of agriculture, which is still valid after the robustness test; (2) the digital economy improves innovation input, output, and efficiency to promote the dissemination of new agricultural technologies and the improvement of resource utilization, thus speeding up the process of high-quality agricultural development; (3) the impact of the development of the digital economy on the high-quality development of agriculture has a positive spillover effect between different provinces in China; and (4) the impact of the digital economy is more significant in areas with stronger intellectual property protection and a larger urban–rural income gap. These insights highlight the need to develop policies that strengthen digital infrastructure and foster technological innovation to maximize the benefits of digital transformation in agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Jingyi Liang & Cuixia Qiao, 2025. "Digital Economy and High-Quality Agricultural Development: Mechanisms of Technological Innovation and Spatial Spillover Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-28, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:8:p:3639-:d:1636970
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/8/3639/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/8/3639/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wolfert, Sjaak & Ge, Lan & Verdouw, Cor & Bogaardt, Marc-Jeroen, 2017. "Big Data in Smart Farming – A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 69-80.
    2. 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.
    3. Sun, Hongjie & Cao, Qingqing & Gu, Tiantian, 2024. "Can agricultural export trade openness improve residents' health in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1608-1620.
    4. Hu, Yuanhong & Liu, Jing & Zhang, Shuyu & Liu, Yuxin & Xu, Haixin & Liu, Pengling, 2024. "New mechanisms for increasing agricultural total factor productivity: Analysis of the regional effects of the digital economy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 766-785.
    5. Zhan, Yunqiu & Gao, Dongfei & Feng, Muzi & Yan, Shen, 2025. "Digital finance, non-agricultural employment, and the income-increasing effect on rural households," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    6. Junguo Hua & Jijie Yu & Yu Song & Qi Xue & Yujia Zhou, 2024. "The Enabling Effect of Digital Economy on High-Quality Agricultural Development-Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Ma, Dan & Zhu, Qing, 2022. "Innovation in emerging economies: Research on the digital economy driving high-quality green development," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 801-813.
    8. 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.
    9. Cao, Kang Hua & Birchenall, Javier A., 2013. "Agricultural productivity, structural change, and economic growth in post-reform China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 165-180.
    10. Jiang, Yankun & Han, Guanghe & Yu, Dan, 2024. "Digital finance and agricultural green total factor productivity: the mediating role of digital village development," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    11. Kafouros, Mario I. & Buckley, Peter J., 2008. "Under what conditions do firms benefit from the research efforts of other organizations?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 225-239, March.
    12. Yuan, Xiao & Zhang, Jinlong & Shi, Jing & Wang, Jiachen, 2024. "What can green finance do for high-quality agricultural development? Fresh insights from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    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. Hu, Yuanhong & Liu, Jing & Zhang, Shuyu & Liu, Yuxin & Xu, Haixin & Liu, Pengling, 2024. "New mechanisms for increasing agricultural total factor productivity: Analysis of the regional effects of the digital economy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 766-785.
    2. Qingjun Li & Shuliang Zhao, 2023. "The Impact of Digital Economy Development on Industrial Restructuring: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Lin Xie & Biliang Luo & Wenjing Zhong, 2021. "How Are Smallholder Farmers Involved in Digital Agriculture in Developing Countries: A Case Study from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Lingzhang Kong & Jinye Li, 2022. "Digital Economy Development and Green Economic Efficiency: Evidence from Province-Level Empirical Data in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-26, December.
    5. Radoslaw Miskiewicz, 2022. "Clean and Affordable Energy within Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Governance Digitalization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Oliver Falck & Johannes Koenen, 2020. "Rohstoff „Daten“: Volkswirtschaflicher Nutzen von Datenbereitstellung – eine Bestandsaufnahme," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 113.
    7. Hrosul, Viktoriia & Kruhlova, Olena & Kolesnyk, Alina, 2023. "Digitalization of the agricultural sector: the impact of ICT on the development of enterprises in Ukraine," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 9(4), December.
    8. Ascui, Francisco & Ball, Alex & Kahn, Lewis & Rowe, James, 2021. "Is operationalising natural capital risk assessment practicable?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    9. Huo, Dongyang & Malik, Asad Waqar & Ravana, Sri Devi & Rahman, Anis Ur & Ahmedy, Ismail, 2024. "Mapping smart farming: Addressing agricultural challenges in data-driven era," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PA).
    10. Ran, Qiying & Yang, Xiaodong & Yan, Hongchuan & Xu, Yang & Cao, Jianhong, 2023. "Natural resource consumption and industrial green transformation: Does the digital economy matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. Torsten Heinrich & Jangho Yang & Shuanping Dai, 2020. "Growth, development, and structural change at the firm-level: The example of the PR China," Papers 2012.14503, arXiv.org.
    12. Hui Yang & Xiangda Xu, 2024. "Coupling and Coordination Analysis of Digital Economy and Green Agricultural Development: Evidence from Major Grain Producing Areas in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-29, May.
    13. Pigford, Ashlee-Ann E. & Hickey, Gordon M. & Klerkx, Laurens, 2018. "Beyond agricultural innovation systems? Exploring an agricultural innovation ecosystems approach for niche design and development in sustainability transitions," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 116-121.
    14. 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.
    15. Shunbin Zhong & Huafu Shen & Ziheng Niu & Yang Yu & Lin Pan & Yaojun Fan & Atif Jahanger, 2022. "Moving towards Environmental Sustainability: Can Digital Economy Reduce Environmental Degradation in China?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-23, November.
    16. Lei Zhang & Lili Xu & Mingzi Gao & Mingdong Zhou, 2024. "Can Agricultural Credit Promote the Green Transformation of China’s Agriculture?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-14, December.
    17. Pedro de Faria & Francisco Lima, 2012. "Interdependence and spillovers: is firm performance affected by others’ innovation activities?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(36), pages 4765-4775, December.
    18. Qiangyi Li & Jiexiao Ge & Mingyu Huang & Xiaoyu Wu & Houbao Fan, 2024. "Uncovering the Triple Synergy of New-Type Urbanization, Greening and Digitalization in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-24, July.
    19. Kun Wang & Bing Chen & Yuhong Li, 2024. "Technological, process or managerial innovation? How does digital transformation affect green innovation in industrial enterprises?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 1-32, February.
    20. Viet, Nguyen Quoc & Behdani, Behzad & Bloemhof, Jacqueline, 2018. "Value of Information to Improve Daily Operations in High-Density Logistics," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 9(01), January.

    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:17:y:2025:i:8:p:3639-:d:1636970. 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.