Effect of the Digital Economy on Farmers’ Household Income: County-Level Panel Data for Jilin Province, China

Abstract

Based on the County-Level Digital Rural Index and county-level panel data for Jilin Province (2018–2020), this study used a fixed-effect model to investigate the effect of the digital economy on Chinese farmers’ income. The results show that the digital economy can positively affect farmers’ disposable income and that there is regional heterogeneity. Specifically, digital economy development has better effects on farmers’ income in the eastern region of Jilin Province, but there is still room for development in the central and western regions. Accordingly, from the perspectives of urbanization, industrial structure, government support for agriculture, digital-inclusive finance, and agricultural digital talent, suggestions have been made to promote the coordinated development of the digital economy and farmers’ livelihoods in various regions.