Empowering Sustainable Farming: Harnessing Digital Technology for Green and Low-Carbon Agricultural Practices

• Published in: Sustainability Vol. 17; no. 4; p. 1617
• Main Authors: Song, Yanju, Liu, Min
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.02.2025
• Subjects: Agribusiness; Agricultural management; Agricultural production; Carbon; Digital economy; Digital technology; Digital transformation; Digitization; Dimensional analysis; Emission standards; Emissions; Energy consumption; Environmental protection; Farmers; Food supply; Hypotheses; Innovations; Pesticides; Productivity; Supply chains; Sustainable agriculture; Sustainable development; Technological change; China
• DOI: 10.3390/su17041617

Agricultural digitization is crucial for enhancing agricultural productivity and efficiency and promoting green low-carbon development. Based on the provincial panel data of China from 2012 to 2021, this study employs the entropy value method and the GML index based on SBM-DDF to quantify agricultural digitization and agricultural green total factor productivity. It utilizes two-way fixed effects, group regression, and threshold effect models to examine the influence of agricultural digitization in agriculture on the green and carbon-reduction progression of farming practices, as well as to clarify the underlying mechanisms behind these effects. The study finds that agricultural digitalization significantly promotes agricultural green low-carbon development. Green innovation and scale operation mediate the impact path of agricultural digitalization, and there is a threshold effect of digital financial inclusion. Moreover, agricultural digitization has a significant impact on the eastern region and a smaller impact on the central and western areas, and the effect is better in regions with high levels of innovation. The results of the study provide a scientific basis for the synergizing of agricultural digitization and agricultural development that is green and low-carbon, as well as for the construction of relevant subjects for interest cooperation and sharing mechanisms.