Digital rural development and agricultural economic resilience

Zhengdao Li

International Review of Economics & Finance, 2026, vol. 106, issue C

Abstract: This research investigates how digital rural construction influences agricultural economic resilience within China, utilizing a comprehensive panel dataset comprising 31 provinces from 2012 to 2023. Grounded in resilience theory and infrastructure-led development frameworks, the analysis applies a two-way fixed effects model alongside instrumental variable estimation, propensity score matching, and Heckman selection models to ensure robust empirical validity. The results consistently indicate that digital rural construction exerts a significant and positive effect on agricultural economic resilience. Mechanism analysis identifies three distinct transmission pathways: digital infrastructure, agricultural industrial agglomeration, and agricultural technological innovation. Among these, digital infrastructure and industrial agglomeration function as primary mediators, while technological innovation plays a partial but significant role. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive impact of digital construction is most effective in regions characterized by high innovation capabilities and greater openness to external markets. These findings provide empirical evidence that digital transformation strengthens rural adaptive capacity by facilitating institutional modernization and industrial coordination. The study concludes with policy recommendations for optimizing rural revitalization strategies, emphasizing the need to align digital investment with regional innovation and market integration efforts.

Keywords: Digital rural construction; Agricultural economic resilience; Mediation mechanism; Digital infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reveco:v:106:y:2026:i:c:s1059056025010147

DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2025.104851

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