HAS DATA CAPITAL REDUCED AGRICULTURAL CARBON EMISSIONS? EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

Data capital has emerged as a key driver of green and low-carbon development in China's agricultural sector.Utilizing panel data from 31 Chinese provinces spanning 2012 to 2023, this study employs a two-way fixed effects model to examine the direct impact and underlying mechanisms of data capital on agricultural carbon emissions.The empirical results reveal that: (1) Data capital significantly reduces agricultural carbon emissions, with notable regional heterogeneity.The mitigation effect is more pronounced in major grain-producing regions compared to non-grain-producing areas; (2) Fiscal support for agriculture positively moderates the impact of data capital on carbon emissions reduction; (3) Land management scale serves as a threshold variable, with a single threshold identified.Based on these findings, this study recommends that the government further promote investment in agricultural data capital, encourage land consolidation to achieve economies of scale, and enhance fiscal policies supporting digital agriculture.These strategies collectively advance agricultural digitalization and facilitate the transition toward low-carbon agriculture.