Impact and mechanism of digital capability enhancement on farmers’farmland transfer behavior: A perspective of cost and trust

Abstract

[Objective] With the rapid development of digital technologies, numerous emerging models derived from them have significantly influenced farmers’farmland transfer behavior. This study aims to explore the impact of enhanced digital capabilities among farmers on their farmland transfer behavior, thereby providing insights to improve farmland utilization efficiency. [Methods] Based on data from 5243 households collected through the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2016 to 2020, this study employed methods such as double machine learning, the lasso algorithm, and lasso residual regression to examine the impact and specific mechanism of enhanced digital capabilities among farmers on their farmland transfer behavior at the household level. [Results] (1) Overall, the enhancement of farmers’digital capabilities exerted a significant impact on rural farmland transfer, facilitating farmers’farmland transfer. Compared to digital technology access, the enhancement of farmers’digital capabilities in the dimensions of digital platform usage and digital information acquisition exerted a stronger impact on their farmland transfer behavior. (2) At the micro-sample level, the promoting effect of digital capability enhancement on farmers’ farmland transfer was stronger among young and middle-aged farmers, those with higher education levels, and those with higher income levels. At the regional sample level, the enhancement of digital capabilities among farmers located east of the Aihui-Tengchong line demonstrated a stronger positive impact on farmland transfer. (3) The enhancement of farmers’digital capabilities primarily facilitated their farmland transfer behavior through two channels: promoting diversified employment opportunities and expanding their social networks. However, it simultaneously inhibited farmland transfer by reducing farmers’trust in government. Specifically, the exposure to negative policy-related information on digital platforms at the current stage significantly weakened farmers’trust in government regulatory capacity and institutional guarantees. However, this negative mechanism was not universal and exhibited heterogeneity across age and education levels. [Conclusion] Enhancing digital capabilities while mitigating the resulting risks to policy trust is a crucial driver for unlocking the digital dividends of farmland transfer.