Impact of government public data openness on agricultural total factor productivity

This study investigates the impact of government public data openness on agricultural total factor productivity (ATFP) using provincial panel data from China spanning 2012–2023. Employing a difference-in-differences (DID) model, the analysis reveals a significant positive effect of public data openness on agricultural productivity. This finding is robust to a series of checks, including parallel trends tests, placebo tests, and propensity score matching (PSM-DID) analysis. Further analysis reveals that this effect is amplified by superior digital infrastructure, higher marketization levels, and more rigorous environmental regulations. Crucially, heterogeneity analysis shows the productivity gains are concentrated in provinces with high levels of rural revitalization and strong agricultural technology innovation, indicating that the benefits of open data are not unconditional. These findings underscore that the economic returns to open data are contingent on a region's existing technological and institutional capacity. Policymakers should therefore pursue data openness not as a standalone policy, but as part of an integrated strategy that includes building digital infrastructure and fostering innovative, revitalized rural economies to ensure productivity gains are realized.