Utilizing digital technology to achieve stable agricultural production: empirical analysis of the supply chain resilience of agricultural-related enterprises

Introduction In the context of increasing global uncertainty, ensuring the stability and security of agricultural supply chains has become a core issue of national economic security. However, how digital technologies can enhance the resilience of agricultural supply chains is still an open research question. Therefore, this paper aims to systematically examine the impact of digital technology on the resilience of agricultural supply chain and its differentiated mechanism. Methods This paper uses the panel data of agriculture-related listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets from 2011 to 2023, and combines the data of enterprise digital technology patents to empirically test the impact of digital technology on the resilience of agricultural supply chain. Two-stage least squares method and Heckman two-stage causal inference method are used to deal with endogeneity, and several robustness tests are carried out. At the same time, this paper explores its mechanism through causal mediation analysis, and carries out heterogeneity analysis based on urban administrative level and enterprise ownership nature. Results The study finds that digital technology has significantly improved the risk resistance and resilience of the supply chain of listed agricultural companies. This conclusion is still valid after the two-stage least square method, Heckman two-step method and several robustness tests. The causal mediation analysis shows that digital technology improves supply chain resilience through two channels: promoting enterprise cooperation and enhancing information transparency. Heterogeneity analysis shows that at the level of urban administrative level, digital technology significantly improves the resilience of high-grade urban agricultural enterprises, but only enhances their risk resistance to ordinary prefecture-level urban agricultural enterprises. In terms of enterprise ownership nature, digital technology significantly improves the risk resistance and resilience of private agricultural enterprises, but unexpectedly weakens the risk resistance of state-owned enterprises, but has no significant impact on their resilience. Discussion This study not only deepens the understanding of the determinants of supply chain resilience in the era of digital economy, but also provides powerful empirical evidence and policy implications for promoting agricultural modernization and building a safe and controllable agricultural supply chain system.