The Impact of Participation Depth of Contract Chain and Digital Chain on Farm Household Income

PENG Yuanyuan; ZHOU Yueshu

Volume 40 Issue 6

Nov. 2025

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PENG Yuanyuan, ZHOU Yueshu. The Impact of Participation Depth of Contract Chain and Digital Chain on Farm Household Income[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2025, 40(6): 82-96.

Citation:

PENG Yuanyuan, ZHOU Yueshu. The Impact of Participation Depth of Contract Chain and Digital Chain on Farm Household Income[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2025, 40(6): 82-96.

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The Impact of Participation Depth of Contract Chain and Digital Chain on Farm Household Income

PENG Yuanyuan¹,
ZHOU Yueshu²

1.
School of Management, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210003
2.
School of Finance, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

Received Date: 2025-08-14
Available Online: 2025-12-17
Publish Date: 2025-11-28

Abstract

Abstract

Against the backdrop of digitalization and organizational transformation driving China's agricultural transition, how to achieve income growth among farmers has become a research concern. Using microdata from the 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey (CRRS), this study constructs multidimensional indicators measuring farmers' participation depth in contract and digital chains, and employs a Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) model to empirically examine the structural effects of the dual-chain participation on household income. The results show that deeper participation in both contract and digital chains significantly increases farmers' income levels, with the marginal income effect of contract chain participation being stronger. Mechanism analysis reveals that contract chain participation primarily enhances income through greater use of socialized services and improved access to credit, while digital chain participation increases income mainly by improving digital literacy and facilitating credit acquisition. The income effects of the dual-chain participation vary substantially across groups: crop farmers benefit more from the the participation than livestock farmers; contract chain participation has a stronger effect on the small-scale and less-educated farmers, whereas digital chain participation is more advantageous for large-scale and better-educated households. Furthermore, the income gains from the dual-chain participation are more pronounced among higher-income groups, exhibiting a clear Matthew effect that may exacerbate income disparities among farmers. The findings reveal the internal mechanisms through which rural industrial upgrading affects income structures, and provide policy insights for promoting high-quality agricultural and rural development.
- farm household income,
- cooperatives,
- e-commerce,
- contract chain,
- digital chain

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References(46)

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