Accelerating the digitalization of agricultural production is a key focal point for leading the high-quality agricultural development through new quality productive forces. This study adopts a case study approach involving 102 villages across 30 counties (cities, districts) in 11 provinces, and employs a composite index method to explore the development level and stage characteristics of agricultural production digitalization from multiple dimensions. Additionally, this paper also applies the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to deeply deconstruct the pathways to achieving agricultural production digitalization. Results show that the digitalization of agricultural production in China is still in its early, uphill phase, with an overall low development level. The foundation, process, and outcomes of agricultural production digitalization present multidimensional characteristics based on different perspectives such as regional divisions, provinces, structures, and stakeholders. Four key pathways for achieving agricultural production digitalization are identified, including the government-led pathway that empowers digital agriculture through digital infrastructure, the research institute-led pathway that integrates advanced technologies and equipment to digitalize single or multiple agricultural production processes, the farmer-initiated pathway that applies affordable technologies and equipment on a small scale, and the enterprise-operated pathway that applies mature digital technologies and equipment that are easy to operate and lower in cost. Based on these findings, this paper provide the following recommendations: to increase government support, to leverage the role of scientific and technological innovation entities, and to promote the connection between small - scale farmers and modern agriculture.