Agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs) signify the progressive trajectory of modern agriculture. However, their development encounters significant challenges in many nations. The digital economy, characterized by its strong innovative capacity, offers continuous impetus for advancing agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs). Based on panel data from 30 Chinese provinces (2014–2023), this study employs a two-way fixed-effects model, mediation and threshold effect analyses, and a spatial Durbin model to comprehensively assess the influence of the digital economy (DE) on agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs). The findings reveal that (1) the digital economy (DE) significantly enhances the advancement of agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs); (2) while its positive effect is pronounced in eastern, central, and western China, the impact is weaker in the northeastern region; (3) rural financial development (RFD) acts as a mediator in the relationship between digital economy (DE) growth and agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs); (4) the digital economy (DE)’s contribution to agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs) demonstrates non-linear trends; and (5) spatially, while the digital economy (DE) boosts the local agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs), it exerts a negative spillover effect on neighboring areas. This research offers fresh empirical insights into the determinants of agricultural new quality productive forces (ANQPFs) and suggests policy measures to support agricultural modernization.

Urban–rural integration (URI) plays a crucial role in advancing rural revitalization and the modernization of agriculture. Nevertheless, numerous nations encounter persistent obstacles, including inefficient resource mobility across urban–rural divides and uneven industrial distribution, while striving to foster such integration. Agricultural new quality productive forces (ANPFs) offer an innovation-led production framework fueled by advances in agricultural technology, allowing urban–rural integration (URI) through improved resource mobility between cities and rural regions. Utilizing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces (2013–2022), this study employs a two-way fixed effects model, mediation analysis model, threshold regression model, and the spatial Durbin model to investigate the transmission mechanism and spatial spillover effect of agricultural new quality productive forces (ANPFs) on urban–rural integration (URI). The findings show the following: (1) Agricultural new quality productive forces (ANPFs) significantly influence urban–rural integration (URI). (2) The influence is significantly stronger in western China than in the eastern and central regions. (3) Industrial restructuring and upgrading (IND) function as a mediating influence in this connection. (4) The role of informatization (INF) has a dual-threshold effect. (5) Geographically, while these forces promote local integration, they may impede progress in nearby regions. This study provides new empirical insights into the factors that influence urban–rural integration (URI) and proposes policy solutions to promote sustainable regional development.

Farmland management rights (FMR) mortgage lending has been advanced as a central instrument of rural credit reform in China, yet the program has consistently failed to sustain itself in the absence of direct government facilitation. Drawing on five national and provincial pilot counties in Henan Province, this study investigates the structural factors underlying this sustainability failure. We employ a sequential mixed-methods design: grounded theory analysis of in-depth interviews, policy documents, and media reports from five focal sites to inductively construct a constraint framework, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) validation using 1055 survey responses. Our grounded theory analysis identifies three internal constraint categories—property rights insecurity, a thin secondary land market, and subject-level agricultural risk—and one external environmental constraint, which together produce a state of mutual non-recognition: neither financial institutions nor farming households regard FMR as legitimate collateral. Notably, the effect of collateral acceptance on farmer mortgage willingness is statistically insignificant, revealing that demand-side barriers are more deeply entrenched than supply-side institutional improvements alone can resolve. These findings challenge the premise that legal formalization of land rights is sufficient to generate market-driven credit activity, and call attention to the equally important role of institutional ecosystem development—encompassing land markets, appraisal capacity, supervisory infrastructure, and rural credit culture. The insights carry direct relevance for developing economies exploring land-backed agricultural credit as a rural finance strategy.