The impact of agricultural structural transformation on urban–rural income gap from the perspective of agricultural digitalization

Introduction Narrowing the urban–rural income gap is key to promoting urban–rural integration and achieving common prosperity. Understanding how agricultural structural transformation affects this gap is therefore crucial for designing effective agricultural and income distribution policies. Moreover, the role of agricultural digitalization in this process needs to be clarified, especially regarding its underlying mechanisms. Methods Based on panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2011–2023, this study employs a fixed effects model to examine the relationship between agricultural structural transformation and the urban–rural income gap. Regional heterogeneity is also analyzed. Furthermore, taking agricultural total factor productivity as the mediating variable and agricultural digitalization as the moderating variable, this study constructs a moderating effect model and a moderated mediation model to systematically examine digitalization’s role in both direct and indirect pathways. Results Agricultural structural rationalization significantly narrows the urban–rural income gap, whereas agricultural structural advancement currently tends to widen it. Regarding direct effects, agricultural digitalization weakens the narrowing effect of agricultural structural rationalization on the urban–rural income gap. At the same time, it strengthens the widening effect of agricultural structural advancement on the urban–rural income gap. Regarding the indirect pathway, agricultural digitalization attenuates the mediating role of agricultural total factor productivity in the relationship between agricultural structural transformation and the urban–rural income gap. Conclusion This study uncovers the dual moderating role of agricultural digitalization in the influence of agricultural structural transformation on income distribution. From a policy perspective, efforts should be made to promote agricultural structural rationalization tailored to local conditions and to advance agricultural structural advancement in a measured manner. Moreover, the inclusive application of digitalization in agriculture should be strengthened to facilitate the coordinated progress of agricultural modernization and the optimization of income distribution.