PBESProceedings of Business and Economic Studies2209-26412209-265XBio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/PBES.v9i9.15634ArticleResearch on the Impact of the Digital Economy on the Efficiency of Agricultural Resource Allocationhttps://artdesignp.com/journal/PBES/9/9/10.26689/PBES.v9i9.15634DongQianyang2026992026-09-30Based on panel data from 31 provinces in China spanning 2011–2023, this paper employs the DEA‑SBM model, the Malmquist index, and the Tobit model to measure agricultural resource allocation efficiency across provinces, and uses the entropy method to construct a comprehensive digital economy index to examine the impact of the digital economy on agricultural efficiency. On this basis, a mediating effect model is further constructed to identify the pathways through which the digital economy operates. The findings are threefold. First, China’s agricultural efficiency demonstrates an overall upward trend, with total factor productivity growing at an average annual rate of 3.5%, driven primarily by technological progress. Second, the comprehensive digital economy index exerts a significantly positive effect on agricultural efficiency at the 1% level, a conclusion that remains robust after multiple robustness checks. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that this effect is significantly stronger in non‑major grain‑producing areas (coefficient 1.171) than in major grain‑producing areas (coefficient 0.556), confirming the “late‑mover advantage” of the digital economy in regions with weaker foundational conditions. Third, the mediating effect test indicates that per capita telecommunications business volume plays a partial mediating role between the digital economy and agricultural efficiency, with the mediating effect accounting for approximately 10.9%, implying that the digital economy indirectly improves agricultural efficiency by enhancing telecommunications infrastructure. Accordingly, policy recommendations are proposed: strengthening rural telecommunications infrastructure, implementing differentiated strategies based on the distinction between major and non‑major grain‑producing areas, guiding consumption expenditure toward productive investment, and facilitating the transition of agricultural mechanization from quantitative expansion to qualitative upgrading.Digital economy, Agricultural resource allocation efficiency, DEA model, Malmquist index, Tobit, Mediating effect

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