Digital Village Construction: A Multi-Level Governance Approach to Enhance Agroecological Efficiency

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of China’s digital village construction, emphasizing its role in rural organizational governance, from bureaucracies to self-governance bodies to market forces and social organizations. Utilizing sample data from 30 provinces from 2014 to 2020, the study dissects the dynamics and diversity of multi-level governance in bolstering agroecological efficiency (AEE). Notable insights include a significant positive correlation between digital villages and AEE. However, it wanes in an “inverted U” pattern beyond a digital development index of 0.8. Furthermore, rural bureaucrats and self-governing entities independently advance AEE, while market forces and social organizations require enhancement. These findings contribute to the field of digital village construction and inform sustainable agricultural strategies in developing nations.