Impact of Digital Infrastructure on Farm Households’ Scale Management

Yangbin Liu, Gaoyan Liu, Longjunjiang Huang, Hui Xiao () and Xiaojin Liu ()
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Yangbin Liu: School of Economics and Management, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
Gaoyan Liu: School of Economics and Management, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
Longjunjiang Huang: School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
Hui Xiao: School of Digital Economy, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China
Xiaojin Liu: School of Economics and Management, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-20

Abstract: The construction and development of digital infrastructure have emerged as a crucial indicator of national competitiveness, which holds significant importance in driving the sustained growth of the national economy and the comprehensive advancement of society. This paper explores the impact of digital infrastructure on farm households’ scale management, aiming to reveal the role and potential of digital technology in agricultural modernization. Additionally, it seeks to offer a scientific foundation for the government to formulate agricultural policies and advance agricultural modernization. Using the OLS (Ordinary Least Squares) model, moderating effect model, and other methods, this study investigates how digital infrastructure affects farm households’ scale management based on micro-level research data of 2510 farm households from the CRRS (China Rural Revitalization Survey). The following conclusions are drawn: Firstly, the enhancement of digital infrastructure can motivate farm households to expand the land management area and increase the unit output of land. Secondly, farm households’ digital literacy positively moderates the effect of digital infrastructure on their land unit output; moreover, digital skills training for farm households exhibits a positive moderating effect on the influence of digital infrastructure on their management area. Finally, there is a heterogeneity in the impact of digital infrastructure on farm households’ scale management. Specifically, the promotion of farm households’ scale management is stronger in plain areas and weaker in hilly and mountainous areas; stronger for middle-aged and older and small-scale farm households; and weaker for youth groups and large-scale farm households. Based on this, this paper suggests increasing the investment in digital infrastructure construction, improving farm households’ digital literacy, carrying out digital skills training, and formulating differentiated regional policies for reference.

Keywords: digital infrastructure; farm households’ scale management; digital literacy; digital skills training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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