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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 33814

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Constantina Costopoulou

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Guest Editor

Informatics Laboratory, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: digital transformation; e-government; e-commerce; e-learning; m-apps; blockchain; big data analytics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Sotiris Karetsos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Informatics Laboratory, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: agricultural e/m- services; agricultural mobile apps; e/m-government; e/m-commerce; agricultural information systems; e/m-learning; blockchain in agriculture; big data analytics in agriculture; use of smart mobile devices in agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Maria Ntaliani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Informatics Laboratory, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: electronic government; e-business; e-participation; digital divide; digital services
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Konstantinos Demestichas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Informatics Laboratory, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: communication networks; machine learning; data analytics; content verification; security
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Digital transformation of agriculture and rural areas has been a challenge over the past decades. Indeed, recent advancements and implementations of information and communication technologies in agriculture offer a unique opportunity for the modernization of the agricultural business sector. The benefits may include improvements in the management of the value chain, ease of accessing governmental and commerce services, more efficient usage of resources, more precision in the usage of agrochemicals, saving time and costs. The beneficiaries regard, farmers who can improve their products, income and quality of life, processing and retailing companies who trade agricultural products, consumers who could feel safe in the quality of the products, governments by improving the efficiency of their services. Moreover, the prudent use of resources and the limited emission of pollutants is of high interest because of climate change. Additionally, new technologies can transform rural areas to attractive, smart and sustainable ones, and invert difficulties related to remoteness.

Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to highlight how digital technologies could have a significant contribution towards the transformation of agriculture and rural areas in order to achieve sustainability. Recent advancements such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learning, blockchain as well as smart mobile devices and mobile applications (apps) could provide new perspectives, improvements, and solutions needed to be successfully applied for the purposes of Agriculture 4.0 and smart rural communities. We are searching for original high-quality research articles and the latest advances in the theoretical or practical aspects of the aforementioned fields. The Special Issue will also accept and review articles that have a thorough methodology and results. The potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Digital transformation of agriculture
Digital transformation of rural communities
Information systems in agriculture: architecture, applications, interoperability, models, best practices
Electronic and mobile services in agriculture (e/m-government, e/m-commerce, e/m-learning)
Cloud computing
Machine learning
Data mining
Artificial intelligence
Smart mobile devices
Mobile applications (apps)
Agricultural data, data analysis and data design
IoT in agriculture
Agricultural modeling
Information processing and management
Software Engineering
Blockchain for the agricultural sector
Agricultural traceability and food safety
Decision Support Systems
Precision Farming
Simulation and optimization of agricultural systems

Prof. Dr. Constantina Costopoulou
Dr. Sotiris Karetsos
Prof. Dr. Maria Ntaliani
Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Demestichas
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

digital transformation
agriculture
rural communities
smart mobile devices
mobile apps
cloud computing
IoT
machine learning

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Research

22 pages, 2356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Social Media Marketing in the Greek Winery Industry

by Effrosyni Bitakou, Sotirios Karetsos, Filotheos Ntalianis, Maria Ntaliani and Constantina Costopoulou

Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010192 - 25 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2270

Abstract

In recent years, wineries have incorporated social media into their marketing strategies to promote their products and services. They offer wineries the opportunity to interact with their customers in real time, allowing them to share their experiences, preferences, and feelings, and create a sense of community. The objective of this paper is to investigate digital presence and consumer engagement and reactions in social media used by the Greek winery industry, using a three-step methodology. The study focuses specifically on Facebook and Instagram and compares data for the period between 2019 and 2022, including the COVID-19 outbreak, collected from the profiles of 311 Greek wineries using a social media analytics tool. The contribution of this work lies in demonstrating the change in consumers’ engagement and reactions witnessed on wineries’ profiles. The outcomes indicate consistently limited interactions on these profiles, reflecting low levels of consumer engagement and overall reactions across social media platforms. These findings underscore the necessity for additional research into wineries’ marketing strategies and the motivations driving user engagement. The proposed methodology can be used as a social media brand engagement approach that aids brands in attracting audience attention and fostering active participation in various business sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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20 pages, 3111 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Digitalisation in Bioeconomy in the Baltic States and Poland

by Sandija Zeverte-Rivza, Laura Girdziute, Agnieszka Parlińska, Peteris Rivza, Anastasija Novikova and Ina Gudele

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13237; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713237 - 4 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1564

Abstract

The agricultural and food production sectors have a predominant role in the bioeconomy of the European Union (EU), followed by wood production. These sectors make significant contributions not only to national economies but also to local areas, in particular the rural ones. Although the digitalisation of businesses within the bioeconomy sector transforms the enterprises, improving the value chains and creating benefits for the rural communities where these enterprises are situated, there are still many barriers to digitalisation. This study has a dual aim: first, to analyse bioeconomy in the EU and the state of digitalisation in the EU, and second, to assess the barriers of the bioeconomy sector and ways to support digital transformation within this sector, focusing on agriculture as the main contributor to bioeconomy in the EU, taking Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland as the case studies. The cluster analysis was explored for the study of the digitalisation and R&D indicators of the EU. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to determine digitalisation scenarios of the bioeconomy sector in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Four stakeholder groups were selected as experts for the study: (i) national government, (ii) advisory and extension, (iii) research, and (iv) entrepreneurship. The findings of the cluster analysis identified 4 clusters in the EU, showing different levels of digitalisation. Strong links between digitalisation and R&D were also found. In this context, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland were assigned to the low-performing cluster. The results of the AHP for the case studies of Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland indicate the overall need for prioritization of support for digital transformation using national and EU funding to achieve better results. Nonetheless, AHP findings also suggested that the opinions of the national government, consulting, and research experts were more aligned throughout all three countries, but the entrepreneurs’ opinions differed from these groups. These findings provide quantitative information regarding digitalisation in the bioeconomy of the EU. They also offer additional qualitative information about scenarios and criteria for increasing the level of digitalisation in the bioeconomy sector in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, which could be useful for policy-makers. This research could also have practical implications for shaping the future trajectory of the bioeconomy policy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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14 pages, 791 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Digital Ability and Livelihood Diversification in Rural China

by Danyang Li, Daizo Kojima, Laping Wu and Mitsuyoshi Ando

Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12443; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612443 - 16 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1451

Abstract

Livelihood diversification is an important strategy for rural households in developing countries, especially in China, which has the largest rural population in the world. In the current digital age, the existing literature lacks sufficient research on the influence of digital ability on livelihood diversification. Using survey data from 1914 rural households in China, this study evaluates the digital ability of rural households through item response theory. Additionally, the livelihood diversification of rural households is analyzed from two aspects: work type and industry. Finally, IV-Tobit models are set up to test the impact of digital ability on livelihood diversification. The results show that: (1) engaging in both agricultural production and employed work concurrently is the key strategy for rural households to diversify their livelihoods; (2) digital ability significantly promotes livelihood diversification, regarding both work type and industry; (3) digital ability’s capacity to diversify livelihood is particularly notable for low-income households, followed by the medium-income group, then the high-income group. These findings are meaningful for the sustainable improvement of rural households’ livelihoods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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27 pages, 6229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Long-Distance WiFi Network as a Tool to Promote Social Inclusion in Southern Veracruz, Mexico

by Monica Karel Huerta, Jessica Garizurieta, Rubén González, Luis-Ángel Infante, Melina Horna, Renato Rivera and Roger Clotet

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 9939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139939 - 22 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2109

Abstract

The United Nations Organization established 17 sustainable development goals in 2015, including No Poverty, Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Responsible Consumption and Production. Latin America stands out as a region marked by significant levels of inequality, encompassing disparities in income and inadequate social protection. The rural municipality of Mecayapan in the Selvas region of Veracruz state, Mexico, is a community where these issues are prominently present. Another specific challenge that exacerbates the situation is the absence of connectivity, which hinders the utilization of technological advancements in three fundamental areas: health, education, and the economy. The project began with a thorough evaluation of the geographical, social, economic, cultural, educational, and health factors within the region. Following this, the network design and implementation phase was executed, considering the available resources, prioritizing recycled materials, and utilizing simulations when required. The subsequent step involved deploying the network in a prioritized manner, utilizing strategic management approaches. To assess the impact of this implementation, a qualitative descriptive study was conducted. This likely entailed the collection of data through interviews, observations, or surveys to gain comprehensive insights into how the WiFi network influenced the community. Results indicate that the implementation of a long-distance WiFi network with wide, open-access coverage in Mecayapan will yield favorable outcomes in terms of social inclusion, poverty reduction, and the overall enhancement of residents’ quality of life. By leveraging technological advancements and promoting connectivity, the WiFi network can contribute to long-term sustainability by fostering economic development, enabling access to educational resources, facilitating communication and networking opportunities, and promoting sustainable practices in various sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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17 pages, 589 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Impact of Internet Use on Farmers’ Adoption of Agricultural Socialized Services

by Chunfang Yang, Changming Cheng, Nanyang Cheng and Yifeng Zhang

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7823; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107823 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1944

Abstract

Developing agricultural socialized services is of great significance for promoting agricultural sustainable development and ensuring food security. The use of the Internet provides new opportunities to promote the development of agricultural socialized services. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2016 and 2018 with 8850 observations, this paper investigates the effects of Internet use on farmers’ adoption decision and adoption degree of agricultural socialized services, and explores the mediating effect of social networks. The adoption of agricultural socialized services is divided into adoption decision and adoption degree, and the Probit model and Tobit model are used for empirical analysis. The results showed that: (1) Internet use has a significant positive impact on both the adoption decision and the adoption degree of agricultural socialized services. Specifically, the impact of Internet use on the adoption decision and adoption degree of agricultural machinery services is greater than that of agricultural hired labor services. (2) The mechanism analysis found that social networks partially mediated the effect of Internet use on farmers’ adoption decision and adoption degree of agricultural socialized services. Furthermore, social networks have a greater mediating effect on the influence of Internet use on farmers’ adoption decision and adoption degree of agricultural machinery services compared to agricultural hired labor services. (3) The heterogeneity test found that Internet use has no significant impact on the adoption of agricultural socialized services by older farmers and farmers with a low education level. Therefore, it is crucial to fully leverage the potential of the Internet to facilitate the supply and demand of agricultural socialized services. Moreover, it is essential to integrate the market of agricultural socialized services with the rural social network to realize the synergy of “Internet plus social network”. This integration facilitates the organic connection between small farmers and modern agricultural development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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25 pages, 2231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Platform Economy and Urban–Rural Income Gap: Theoretical Deductions and Empirical Analyses

by Nan Hao and Mingxing Ji

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7684; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097684 - 7 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2275

Abstract

Against the historical background of the burgeoning platform economy and the promotion of common prosperity, this paper focuses on the impact of the development of the platform economy on the urban–rural income gap. Theoretical mechanism analyses are conducted from three aspects such as nonlinear action of the platform economy on the urban–rural income gap, the rural human capital level-based moderating effect, and the spatial spillover effect. Moreover, empirical analyses are carried out using the threshold model, interaction model, and spatial lag model in turn with panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2013 to 2020. The results of the study show that there is a significant double threshold effect of the development of the platform economy on the urban–rural income gap. The initial development of the platform economy can improve urban–rural income inequality, and the scale effect of the platform will further contribute to the reduction in the urban–rural income gap, but the expansion of market share and the deepening of monopoly will have a suppressive effect on the urban–rural equilibrium. There is a moderating effect of rural human capital in the platform economy in reducing urban–rural income inequality. The increase in the level of rural human capital will enhance the driving effect of the platform economy on the reduction in the rural–urban income gap. There are spatial spillover effects for the impacts of the platform economy on the urban–rural income gap and it positively promotes the coordinated development of urban and rural areas in neighboring provinces. Based on the above results, this paper makes policy proposals from three aspects such as perfecting the system and standard of the platform, improving the rural human capital level, and optimizing platform-based regional cooperation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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19 pages, 5439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Sustainable Rural Industrial Development under Entrepreneurship and Deep Learning from Digital Empowerment

by Suwei Gao, Xiaobei Yang, Huizhen Long, Fengrui Zhang and Qin Xin

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7062; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097062 - 23 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

This paper aims to realize the planning of resource utilization and development of rural industries endowed by digitalization under entrepreneurship. First, the global classic practical experience of digitizing rural industries is studied, and the development model of existing rural industries is captured from the perspective of entrepreneurship. Second, the influencing factors of rural industrial development are extracted, the structure of resource development is analyzed, and a Neural Network (NN) model of industrial development aiming at expected per capita annual income is established. In addition, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is introduced to learn the weights of influencing factors in the model. The structure of the NN is determined through extensive experiments. Finally, conclusions are drawn through the simulation and experiment of NN and GA. Tourism, infrastructure, and transportation planning have weights of 7.79, 5.6, and 6.4, respectively, and these three sectors should be vigorously developed. In the future, the weight values of these factors can be used for reference, and the development of various aspects can be refined. This paper clarifies the core of industrial development in rural revitalization based on the perspective of entrepreneurship. The problem of how to realize the optimal utilization of resources is solved scientifically and rationally through the mathematical model. The introduction of deep learning algorithm models provides data support for resource allocation and industrial planning in the process of digital empowerment of traditional rural industries, which is of great value and significance for exploring digital models for rural industry development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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18 pages, 1317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How the Rural Digital Economy Drives Rural Industrial Revitalization—Case Study of China’s 30 Provinces

by Ye Tian, Qin Liu, Yiting Ye, Zhaofang Zhang and Ribesh Khanal

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6923; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086923 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4333

Abstract

The Chinese government is implementing a rural revitalization strategy and speeding up rural modernization. The rapid development of the rural digital economy has become a new driving force for the revitalization of rural industries. By analyzing how rural industrial revitalization is driven by the rural digital economy, this study constructs a rural digital economy from the three dimensions of optimal allocation of rural resource elements, the effective connection of urban–rural markets, and the integrated development of rural industries. The entropy value method was used to assess the comprehensive level of development of the rural digital economy and industrial revitalization. Based on the agricultural and rural development data of 30 provinces in China from 2014 to 2019, we construct a dual fixed effect model to empirically analyze how the rural digital economy drives rural industrial revitalization. The results show that, first, the rural digital economy promotes the revitalization of rural industries through the following main approaches: optimal allocation and utilization of rural resources, effective connection of urban–rural markets, and industrial integration development. Second, using the benchmark regression test, it can be concluded that if the development level of the rural digital economy is increased by 1 percent, the development of rural industrial revitalization will increase by 0.066 percent, indicating that the development of the rural digital economy can significantly drive the revitalization of rural industries. Third, the driving effect of the rural digital economy on the revitalization of rural industries is heterogeneous in different regions and industrial structures. The effect of the rural digital economy on the revitalization of rural industries in the western region, the region with a high proportion of the output value of the primary industry, is higher than in the east and central regions, which have a low proportion of the output value of the primary industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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21 pages, 907 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Impact of Digital Empowerment on China’s Human Capital Accumulation and Human Capital Gap between Urban and Rural Areas

by Dapeng Sun, Bintong Yu and Jun Ma

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5458; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065458 - 20 Mar 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2989

Abstract

Human capital is a key factor in the economic growth and sustainable development of a country. However, the impact of digitalization on human capital accumulation and the urban-rural human capital gap in China is seldom a focus in the literature. This paper establishes a three-sector economic growth model surrounding knowledge accumulation, endogenous technology, and labor mobility. It is designed to theoretically explain the influence of digital empowerment on human capital accumulation and its urban-rural gap in an economy. An empirical test is also conducted using CFPS panel data for 25 Chinese provinces from 2016 to 2018. The results show that: Firstly, digital empowerment significantly promotes the accumulation of human capital in rural and urban areas. The number of years of education increases by 1.37% in rural areas and 3.07% in urban areas for each index point of digitalization increase. Secondly, the impact of digitalization on the human capital gap between urban and rural areas demonstrates an inverted U-shaped curve. However, it is still within the Matthew Effect that the human capital gap between urban and rural areas is widening in tandem with digital development. Finally, the Matthew Effect in digitalization on the urban-rural human capital gap is relatively larger in the female group, higher education population, and larger family size. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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27 pages, 6658 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Barriers, Challenges, and Requirements for ICT Usage among Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers in Bangladesh: Toward Sustainability in Agriculture

by Mamiya Binte Ahsan, Guo Leifeng, Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam, Beibei Xu, Shah Johir Rayhan, Abdul Kaium and Wang Wensheng

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010782 - 31 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4351

Abstract

The present work is the first detailed study of sub-assistant agricultural officers (SAAOs), who are key players in delivering agriculture extension services in Bangladesh. We determined the status of information and communication technology (ICT) usage, knowledge gaps, approaches and tools for information delivery, barriers and obstacles to ICT usage, requirements for adoption, and possible solutions for efficient agriculture extension advisory services. We surveyed key respondents (SAAOs, n = 117) from nine sub-districts under the six administrative districts of Bangladesh with a semi-structured questionnaire. We found that 73.2% of all extension officers had basic knowledge of ICT. We observed that the most effective tool for information dissemination was field visits (90.90%, Moulvibazar district) and the most frequent extension approach was training and workshops (77.31%, Dhaka district). The best sources for information collection were broadcast media and social media. While delivering information, difficulty was found due to technical obstacles in Gazipur district, Rajshahi district, Sylhet district, and Dhaka district among 60% to 70% of SAAOs. However, farmers’ ignorance was reported in both Feni district and Moulvibazar district (36.36%). A shortage of computers in Gazipur district (56.25%) was an essential barrier to ICT usage for extension services. A major challenge in using ICT applications in Dhaka district was inadequate training support (64.51%). Mobile devices, internet connectivity, updated ICT applications, and a farmers’ database were the most important supports needed for the SAAO’s skilled advisory activities. In conclusion, our results and recommendations will help to redesign policies to improve infrastructure and allocate funding for capacity and skill development and ICT-based innovations in this sector to achieve sustainable extension and advisory services and attain food security in Bangladesh. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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18 pages, 2388 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Correlation Effects and Mechanisms of Rural Restructuring and Transformation: A Case Study of the Jianghan Plain in China

by Zhuofan Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010395 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2171

Abstract

The rural decline accompanying industrialization and urbanization is a lingering puzzle in human society, while promoting rural restructuring and transformation is considered the primary task of contemporary rural development. It is the historical mission of rural geography research in the new era to scientifically understand the characteristics of contemporary rural development and accurately explain the patterns of rural reconstructing and transformation. In this paper, the Jianghan Plain in China is selected for the case study. Characteristic indexes are selected based on the “structure–function” correlation to interpret rural restructuring. Measurement benchmarks are unified through functional value marketization to interpret rural transformation. Multiple statistical analysis is adopted to identify the action paths and decipher the correlation mechanisms. The case study yields the following findings. (1) The rural restructuring on Jianghan Plain has spatial and temporal differences. Rural restructuring has roughly gone through the social restructuring-led, economic restructuring-led, and spatial restructuring-led evolution stages, showing spatially divergent patterns with high rural comprehensive restructuring index (RRC) areas concentrated around the main traffic arteries and linear low RRC areas along the Yangtze River banks. (2) Rural restructuring and transformation on Jianghan Plain show significant correlation effects. During the study period, the rural transformation magnitude (RTM) continues to increase and shows a spatial map similar to that of rural restructuring, with economic-spatial restructuring-led and economic-social restructuring-led as the main modes of rural transformation. (3) The correlation mechanism of rural restructuring and transformation on Jianghan Plain has characteristics typical of less-developed agricultural areas. The economic restructuring led by agricultural land changes and the social restructuring led by rural population outward migration remain the main paths of rural transformation, and the agricultural function still plays an important role in some rural areas. The quantitative measurement of rural region functions in this study need further optimization, and the refinement and accuracy of regional function accounting needs further exploration. The research results are expected to provide a scientific basis for stimulating rural development and promoting sustainable rural development in contemporary developing countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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18 pages, 1227 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Internet Use on Rural Women’s Off-Farm Work Participation: Empirical Evidence from China

by Wei Wang and Shengbo Zhang

Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16972; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416972 - 18 Dec 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2801

Abstract

Promoting rural women’s participation in off-farm work is an important way to increase their income and alleviate a shortage of off-farm labor supply. The widespread use of the Internet provides new opportunities to promote their participation in off-farm work. This paper draws on data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to analyze the impact of Internet use on rural women’s off-farm work participation by using a logit model and propensity score matching method. The results show that, relative to groups who do not use the Internet, rural women who use the Internet demonstrate an eight-percentage point increase in their participation in off-farm work and a greater enhancement effect on the employed model than the self-employed model. Further analysis reveals that Internet use primarily affects rural women’s participation in off-farm work in four aspects: increasing the efficiency of access to information; increasing human capital; increasing the accumulation of social capital; and changing the perception of gender roles. The heterogeneity analysis finds that when rural women are younger and more educated, Internet use will have a more pronounced effect on their off-farm work participation. As the number of minors in the household increases, Internet use has a more positive effect on rural women’s off-farm work participation. Additionally, rural women in China’s eastern and central regions are more likely to be positively impacted by Internet use than counterparts from the west. The findings provide new empirical evidence that contributes to the government’s use of the Internet to promote rural female off-farm work participation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas)

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