In the prefecture-level city of Ya'an in Southwest China's Sichuan province, Mingshan district is helping the local farmers by inviting renowned entrepreneurs to offer development tips, with a focus on cultivating talent for rural vitalization and boosting public service and market integration.

Anji village is one of the earliest areas to cultivate kiwi fruit, which is one of Mingshan's three key agricultural industries. The Minjian Kiwi Farmers' Cooperative was one of its first cooperatives to successfully experiment with online sales.

On Oct 26, the local government invited a group of entrepreneurs, who are studying at the prestigious Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB), to tour its kiwi orchards.

Li Feng, chairman of Zhongrong Taihe (Changchun) Trading Co Ltd and a member of the CKGSB EMBA Class 43, Cohort 1, said the cooperatives play an irreplaceable role in agricultural industrial development.

"Cooperatives should further improve their equity structures and consider bringing in other market entities," he said, adding that they should also upgrade existing supply chain operations to expand their regional influence.

The event was jointly organized by the Mengdingshan Academy for Cooperative Development, also known as Mengdingshan Academy, which was set up in February 2021 as the first public service-based training institution in China helping cultivate cooperative chairpersons as its primary training recipients.

Qilong village, which is now dubbed an "internet-renowned village," is known for its premium tea production, unique homestay industry and status as one of Sichuan's top 10 model villages for new rural collective economic development.

In recent years, Qilong village has been actively exploring a new model for rural governance that integrates organizational development, industry upgrading and public services.

After visiting the village's collective supermarket, senior citizens' cafeteria and "Grass Yan Shushe" homestay, Chen Qiao, a partner and managing director at Tianjin Haida Venture Capital Management Co Ltd and a member of the CKGSB EMBA Class 43, Cohort 1, pinpointed the growing diversity of demands arising in the rural areas.

Whether the demands can be promptly identified and met directly impacts the residents' sense of happiness and fulfillment, she said, suggesting that Qilong village needs to adopt new technologies and tools, such as mobile internet and digital tools, to empower rural governance with AI and digital solutions.

Wang Guangyuan, a member of the visiting entrepreneurs and executive director of Mengding Mountain Academy, stressed that a large part of the villages need intellectual support.

He said, "Just like individuals and enterprises, villages need clear direction, ideas and strategies to achieve sustainable growth. Observations and insights from entrepreneurs can provide villages with market-oriented development inspiration."

Gaogang village, once a provincial-level impoverished village back in 2016, has pioneered a "Gaogang Village Model" for rural waste management, promoting itself as an innovative example throughout Sichuan.

In May 2023, the Mengding Mountain Academy Party branch partnered with the village Party committee to establish a cooperative framework, that integrates local government, social assistance organizations and internal community resources, to jointly build a rural vitalization model village.

Ren Haiyun, chair of Beijing Chengming Cultural Media Co Ltd and a member of the visiting entrepreneurs, said sustainable rural development depends on effectively coordinating internal and external resources, with organizational guidance playing a critical role.

The event was attended by Wang Yixi, head of CKGSB EMBA Operations, all members of Class 43, Cohort 1, and Zhao Yan, deputy secretary-general of Ya'an municipal government, as well as related officials and farmer representatives.

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