Digital-green synergistic transition, fiscal decentralization and regional green total factor productivity in...

As a critical pathway to resolve the synergistic dilemma between industrial pollution abatement and sustainable agricultural development, the digital-green synergistic transformation exerts spillover effects on regional agricultural green total factor productivity through restructuring the factor endowment configurations of high-polluting enterprises. Employing a longitudinal dataset of Chinese A-share heavy-polluting firms spanning 2012-2022, this study systematically examines the impact of digital-green synergistic transitions within industrial sectors on agricultural green total factor productivity and their operational mechanisms. Empirical findings confirm that digital-green synergies significantly enhance agricultural green total factor productivity. Mechanism analyses reveal dual channels: First, from the green innovation perspective, this transformation elevates agricultural green total factor productivity by stimulating green management innovations among polluting enterprises. Second, regarding fiscal decentralization dynamics, appropriate decentralization positively moderates the agricultural green total factor productivity enhancing effect of digital-green transitions. Heterogeneity assessments indicate more pronounced agricultural green total factor productivity improvement in enterprises located in non-traditional industrial bases, coastal regions, and non-resource-dependent cities. Notably, a threshold effect exists for fiscal decentralization-when decentralization <0.4018, lagged digital-green transformation inhibits agricultural green total factor productivity, whereas decentralization ≥0.4018 converts this relationship into a promotional effect. These insights suggest policymakers should develop differentiated policy frameworks contingent upon fiscal decentralization elasticity. By optimizing cross-industry data reallocation incentives and institutional constraints, governments can effectively support agricultural green total factor productivity enhancement through multi-tier governance systems.