Does digital literacy promote the climate disaster adaptive production behavior of grain smallholders in China?

1. The adoption of climate disaster adaptive production behaviors among grain smallholders in Sichuan, China, remains low. 2. Digital literacy contributes to climate disaster adaptive production behaviors by improving the awareness of climate disaster risks. 3. The positive impact of digital literacy on climate disaster adaptive production behaviors varies depending on government support. Climate disasters cause significant economic losses in grain yields, emphasizing the need for adaptation to ensure food security. As digital technologies advance, it is imperative to investigate how digital literacy among grain farmers affects their adaptive production behavior in the face of climate disasters. Drawing on survey data from 505 grain smallholders in Sichuan Province, China, this study constructs a theoretical framework linking digital literacy, climate disaster risk perception, and adaptive production behavior. Empirical analysis shows that digital literacy positively impacts adaptive production behavior of grain smallholders. Our result is robust across various models and tests. An analysis of the mediation mechanism reveals that digital literacy contributes to climate disaster adaptive production behaviors by improving the awareness of climate disaster risks. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive impact of digital literacy is more pronounced in samples to whom internet skills training and climate information services are provided, and this impact intensifies as the level of agricultural infrastructure improves. The findings suggest that digital literacy plays a key role in reducing production risks, thereby contributing to increased sustainable agricultural development among smallholders.