The Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: The Mediating Role of Rural E-commerce

This study employs panel data from 117 Chinese cities (20112022) to investigate the impact of digital inclusive finance (DIF) on agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) and the mediating role of rural e-commerce. Results show that DIF significantly enhances AGTFP by alleviating financing constraints, optimizing resource allocation, and promoting green technology adoption, with more pronounced effects in non-grain-producing regions and areas with scarce financial resources. Rural e-commerce, represented by the expansion of Taobao villages, serves as a key mediating pathway, facilitating the marketization of green agricultural products and digitalization of supply chains. Regional disparities are evident: eastern coastal regions achieve an annual AGTFP growth of 8.5% through technology-intensive models, while northeastern regions lag due to traditional factor lock-in effects. The study provides policy insights for advancing agricultural low-carbon transition by optimizing digital financial policies, including targeted DIF penetration, rural e-commerce infrastructure upgrading, and region-specific technology diffusion strategies.