Objective Agricultural science and technology innovation is a crucial driver for advancing the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas and realizing the modernization of agriculture and rural regions. Taking Fujian Province as the research subject, this study empirically analyzes the impact of agricultural science and technology investment on county-level agricultural economic development, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for promoting the growth of the agricultural economy at the county level.

Method The theoretical mechanism through which agricultural science and technology innovation affects county-level agricultural economic development was systematically reviewed, and a theoretical model was constructed to examine the influence of agricultural science and technology investment on county-level agricultural development. Using panel data from 58 counties in Fujian Province from 2011 to 2022, a two-way fixed effects model was employed for empirical analysis.

Result Agricultural science and technology investment in Fujian’s counties has a significantly positive effect on the gross agricultural output at the county level. This finding remains robust after addressing potential endogeneity issues and conducting a series of robustness tests. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the economic effect of agricultural science and technology investment is significant in eastern and northwestern Fujian, but not statistically significant in southern Fujian. Analysis across different periods indicates that the economic impact of agricultural science and technology investment exhibits stage-specific and cumulative characteristics.

Conclusion Agricultural science and technology investment at the county level in Fujian has become an important endogenous driving force for local agricultural economic growth. It is recommended to enhance the intensity of agricultural science and technology investment at the county level, implement differentiated policies based on regional conditions, and establish diversified agricultural science and technology service models. These measures will facilitate agricultural technological progress and promote higher-quality development of the county-level agricultural economy.