Multiple dilemmas and optimization pathways in the digital-intelligent transformation of farmer cooperatives: an analysis based on the perspective of network embeddedness

Accelerating the digital-intelligent transformation of farmers' cooperatives plays a crucial supporting role in the in-depth implementation of the digital rural strategy and the development of new quality agricultural productive forces. This study constructs a network embeddedness analysis framework based on six dimensions: institutions, policies, markets, technologies, data, and cognition. It systematically explores the connotation, enabling mechanisms, and practical challenges of the digital-intelligent transformation of farmers' cooperatives. The study finds that the digital-intelligent transformation of farmers' cooperatives is deeply embedded within the institutional, policy, market, technological, data, and cognitive environments. Network embeddedness empowers this transformation through three mechanisms: subject collaboration, resource acquisition, and interest reconstruction. However, in practice, multiple constraints persist, including institutional hesitation due to land instability, insufficient digital-intelligent transformation momentum caused by limited government subsidies, risk aversion induced by market risks, decision-making indecisiveness arising from technological uncertainty, digital-intelligent transformation effectiveness inhibited by data barriers, and weakened digital-intelligent transformation momentum due to insufficient operator capabilities. In response to these challenges, this paper proposes building a symbiotic support system, enhancing digital-intelligent technology capabilities, deepening multi-stakeholder value co-creation, reducing technology application risks, improving agricultural data property rights and security governance systems, and strengthening the transaction mechanisms of agricultural land property rights.