EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON THE GREEN DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLAND SPECIALTY AGRICULTURE : A CASE STUDY OF YUNNAN PROVINCE
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Abstract
This study investigates the role of digital technology in advancing the green transformation of plateau-specific agriculture in Yunnan Province from 2013 to 2022. Using panel regression models with regional and temporal fixed effects, the analysis confirms that digital empowerment significantly promotes agricultural green development, particularly by enhancing economic benefits such as productivity, quality output, and efficiency. However, its effect on resource conservation is mixed due to the energy-intensive nature of digital infrastructure. Mechanism tests reveal that farmer cooperatives serve as effective mediators, facilitating wider adoption of green practices, while innovation capacity-measured through patents-shows limited conversion into practical sustainability outcomes. Moreover, public environmental awareness strengthens the positive relationship between digital technology and sustainable agriculture, reflecting the role of social demand in accelerating green adoption. Robustness checks using alternative measures and instrumental variables reaffirm the validity of results, while heterogeneity analysis indicates stronger impacts in high-altitude and non-major grain-producing areas compared to their counterparts. The findings underscore the transformative potential of digital technology in sustainable agriculture while highlighting challenges in resource efficiency and innovation transfer. Policy implications suggest prioritizing cooperative development, improving innovation utilization, and integrating digital strategies with ecological awareness to achieve balanced and resilient agricultural modernization in plateau regions.
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References
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