Empowering green agricultural development: how digital literacy shapes farmers’ willingness to participate in high-standard farmland construction

Promoting green agricultural development and achieving sustainable land management are core tasks in the transformation toward agrarian modernization. High-standard farmland construction is a key policy instrument in this process, yet its effectiveness depends on the active participation of farmers. Farmer participation depends on both individual capabilities and the external institutional environment. This study uses survey data from farmers in Qinghai Province, China and Integrates human capital theory and institutional theory to construct a three-dimensional digital literacy assessment framework. The study conducts an empirical analysis of the effect of farmers’ digital literacy on their intention to participate in high-standard farmland construction, and explores how varying levels of information trust moderate this relationship. The results indicate that digital literacy significantly enhances farmers’ participation intentions. However, Information trust exerts a significant negative moderating effect on the relationship between digital literacy and farmers’ participation intentions. This study reveals that enhancing digital literacy is a critical pathway to incentivize farmer participation in high-standard farmland construction, thereby advancing rural revitalization and sustainable agricultural development during the green transition. Policy measures should synergistically focus on cultivating digital capabilities, improving information transparency, and strengthening social support systems to achieve a virtuous cycle of technological empowerment and farmer-driven development.