The impact of new digital infrastructure on agriculture green development: evidence from China

作者：Yang Zhao, Chen‐Yu Yang, Sarwar Khan · 发表于：Frontiers in Environmental Economics · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/frevc.2025.1525531 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Energy, Environment, Economic Growth

Introduction New digital infrastructure (NDI) is a key driver for agricultural green development (AGD). However, its underlying mechanisms and heterogeneous impacts remain to be explored. This study focuses on agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) in China, aiming to elucidate the direct effects of NDI on AGD, its mediating pathways, and geographical heterogeneity, thereby providing theoretical evidence and policy implications for the green transformation of agriculture. Methods Based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2022, this study employs the global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) index and the slack-based measure (SBM) model to measure AGTFP and constructs a comprehensive NDI indicator using principal component analysis. The study systematically examines the direct impact of NDI on AGD, the mediating effects of technological and land factors, and the moderating role of labor quality through fixed-effects models, instrumental variable regression, and moderated-mediation effect models. Heterogeneity analysis is also conducted through subgroup regression to explore geographical and institutional differences. Results NDI significantly enhances AGTFP, a conclusion that is robust to endogeneity and sensitivity tests. technology level and farmland quality are the dual mediating pathways through which NDI drives AGD. Labor quality amplifies the green empowerment effect of NDI by strengthening the synergistic effects of technological and land factors...