Specialty Agriculture and Income Growth Among Rural Residents in Poverty‐Stricken Areas: Empirical Evidence From China

ABSTRACT Increasing rural residents' income is crucial for alleviating income inequality and preventing poverty. Using county‐level panel data from China's poverty‐stricken counties between 2010 and 2023, this study employs the designation of Specialty Agricultural Product Advantage Zones as a quasi‐natural experiment. Using a multiperiod double difference approach, it systematically evaluates the impact of rural specialty agriculture development on rural residents' income and its underlying mechanisms. Findings indicate that rural specialty agriculture development significantly enhances income levels among rural residents. Mechanism analysis reveals that regional agricultural development and industrial agglomeration are the two crucial pathways. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates that this income‐boosting effect is more pronounced in major grain‐producing regions, central China, areas with gentle topography, and non‐deeply impoverished regions. This study not only provides reliable empirical evidence for understanding the income‐enhancing effects of rural specialty agriculture but also offers theoretical support and practical references for other developing countries with specialty agricultural resources to strengthen endogenous development momentum in poverty‐stricken areas.