The impact of digital inclusive finance on the development of agricultural producer services: a case study of Tiandong County

Within the framework of China’s ongoing efforts to advance rural revitalization and agricultural modernization, the agricultural producer services sector acts as a pivotal engine for high-quality development, while digital inclusive finance serves as its central driving force. This study examines the impact of digital inclusive finance (DIF) on agricultural producer services (APS), using provincial panel data and a case analysis of Tiandong County, Guangxi. Results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between DIF and APS development, validated by robustness and endogeneity tests. Among DIF dimensions, coverage breadth exerts the strongest effect, followed by usage depth, while the level of digitization shows the weakest influence. Mechanism analyses reveal that agricultural mechanization and farm household fixed asset investment serve as mediators—the former positive, the latter negative. Industrial structure optimization moderates this relationship, mitigating the inverted U-shaped pattern. The Tiandong case further highlights how rural property rights digitization reform, centered on “digital transactions + inclusive finance,” fosters local APS development. These findings provide a theoretical and empirical basis for enhancing service quality in agricultural production.