Huashan Village, Heilongjiang Province — In the quiet corners of northeast China, a digital revolution is taking root. Chen Lili, a young farmer in Huashan Village, is livestreaming her rice harvest to eager customers across the country, all from the palm of her hand.
“I once dreamed of escaping the countryside,” Chen recalls. After graduating from university in 2016, she pursued a career in Beijing’s online media industry. But in December 2021, a spontaneous decision to livestream her hometown’s rice changed everything. “To my surprise, 6,000 orders came in within hours,” she says. “That moment made me realize that selling agricultural products doesn’t necessarily require a big company — just a smartphone and sincere storytelling.”
By May 2022, Chen made the bold choice to leave city life behind and return to her roots. “It took a lot of courage. My husband had to give up his job in Beijing. We didn’t know if we’d succeed,” she admits. Initial challenges didn’t deter her. As she began sharing her journey from urban professional to rural entrepreneur, her authenticity resonated. Within months, her follower count soared past one million.
Building on her online success, Chen started signing rice procurement contracts with local farmers in 2023, encouraging them to cultivate higher-quality rice varieties. She guaranteed to buy their harvests at set prices, providing them with security and motivation. By 2024, her program expanded to cover 400 hectares, benefiting 90 farming households and increasing their collective income by nearly $250,000.
One of those farmers, Ma Xiuying, shares her experience: “I have about 13 hectares of land. Last year, I grew the variety Chen recommended on half of it, and she bought everything as promised. This year, I’m planting all 13 hectares with that variety.”
Xigui Village, Yunnan Province — Thousands of miles away in the misty mountains of southwest China, the tea farmers of Xigui Village are experiencing their own technological transformation. Famous for its premium Pu’er tea, the village has embraced drones and digital platforms to modernize its traditional industry.
Every morning at 10 a.m., freshly picked tea leaves from Hao Chengping’s plantation take to the skies. “It used to take an hour to carry them down the mountain by foot. Now it takes three minutes by drone,” Hao explains. “The faster we process the leaves, the better the flavor.” The introduction of drones has reduced the loss rate for fresh leaves from 15 percent to just 1 percent.
Drone operator Ye Chenxi highlights the efficiency boost: “Our drones can carry up to 50 kilograms and travel 4 to 5 kilometers, dramatically improving logistics.”
Meanwhile, tea grower Cheng Benfu has become a livestreaming sensation. Once shy, he now confidently demonstrates tea harvesting and brewing techniques to an online audience. “Look at these buds just picked this morning and flown in by drone,” he tells viewers. “If you place your order now, we’ll process and ship it within two days.”
Through real-time videos, customers witness the journey of the tea leaves from plantation to cup. “The aroma of the mountains is now just a click away,” Cheng smiles.
A Digital Wave Sweeps Rural China
From rice fields to tea terraces, smart technology is empowering farmers across China. The integration of livestreaming and drone delivery not only enhances efficiency but also opens new markets and reduces waste.
Li Bo, deputy head of Mulan County, emphasizes the importance of this digital shift. “We attach great importance to the role of e-commerce in promoting high-quality economic development at the county level and advancing rural revitalization,” he says. “We are actively exploring new drivers and potential of e-commerce in stimulating consumer demand, upgrading consumption, and promoting industrial clustering.”
The fusion of tradition and technology is breathing new life into China’s rural heartland, offering a blueprint for rural communities worldwide.
