Research on the multidimensional impact effects of the rural digital economy on the resilience of agricultural development: evidence from 30 provinces in China

This paper first explores the mechanism by which the rural digital economy (RDE) affects the resilience of agricultural development (RAD). Then, based on the data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2022, the entropy method is used to measure the level of RDE and RAD. The spatial correlation of RDE and RAD is analyzed through Moran’s I and Geary’s C. Then, the direct effect of RDE on RAD, the spatial spillover effect, and the mediating effect of agricultural technological progress (ATP) were empirically tested through the bidirectional fixed effect model, the mediating effect model, and the spatial Durbin model (SDM). The research findings are as follows: (1) Both RDE and RAD in China are on the rise, and there are obvious regional differences. (2) The significant enhancement of RDE has improved RAD. This conclusion remains valid after robustness tests and endogeneity tests, and the promoting effects are more significant in the western regions, nongrain-producing areas, and regions with high policy intensity. (3) The development of RDE in local areas will have a positive spatial spillover effect on the RAD in neighboring regions. This conclusion still holds after replacing different weights, and the spillover effects are more significant in the eastern regions and major grain-producing areas. (4) ATP only has a local mediating effect in the process of RDE influencing RAD, and the spatial mediating mechanism has not yet formed. The mediating effect of ATP is more significant in the eastern region and non-major grain-producing areas.