Research on the role of digital technology in agricultural modernization: evidence from China

Scholarly research has extensively explored the contribution of digital technologies (DT) to advancing agricultural modernization (AM), yet prior studies have not systematically identified the potential transmission pathways linking DT and AM. Based on a provincial dataset of 31 Chinese regions from 2011 to 2022, this study utilizes the entropy method to develop a tripartite AM index encompassing industrial, production, and management systems and employs mediation models and threshold regression approaches to analyze the transmission channels and contextual constraints through which DT is associated with AM. The findings document a significant positive association between DT and AM, especially pronounced in eastern regions. Mechanism analysis reveals that industrial structure upgrading, agricultural technological innovation, and agricultural capital deepening serve as critical transmission channels. Threshold regression results suggest that enhanced digital infrastructure and rural education levels reinforce the positive relationship between DT and AM. This study puts forward policy suggestions to accelerate DT application in agriculture and increase rural education investment, with a focus on regions lagging in digital development and rural education, to fully unlock the potential of DT in supporting AM.