Digital Agriculture and Climate Resilience in Agri-Food Systems: Empirical Evidence From China

Abstract

Global agri-food systems face unprecedented challenges from climate change, necessitating enhanced climate resilience. This study examines the impact of digital agriculture on the climate resilience of agri-food systems in China. Using panel data from 31 provinces from 2012 to 2021, we construct comprehensive indices for digital agriculture and climate resilience and employ two-way fixed effects, panel threshold, and spatial Durbin models for empirical analysis. Results indicate that digital agriculture significantly improves climate resilience, with a coefficient of 0.203. A threshold effect is identified: once the digital agriculture index exceeds 0.219, its marginal effect increases substantially. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger effects in major grain-producing regions. Spatial econometric results confirm positive spillover effects, where digital agriculture in neighboring regions also enhances local resilience. These findings underscore the transformative potential of digital technologies in building systemic climate resilience and call for integrated, region-specific policies to harness digital dividends for sustainable agri-food systems.