An employee livestreams agricultural products at a plantation in Chisong township, Jindong district, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, Nov 18, 2024. [Photo/IC]

China's annual No 1 Central Document, released on Feb 2, set out key tasks for agricultural and rural work in 2026, calling for the fostering of entrepreneurs in line with local conditions.

Zhejiang province has long positioned itself as an early mover in rural reform and innovation. In May 2015, it launched the "Searching for 100 rural Entrepreneurs" initiative, encouraging young people to return to the countryside to start businesses and introduce new ideas.

When China's rural vitalization strategy was formally rolled out in 2017, rural entrepreneurs were written into the Zhejiang provincial government work report, giving the group formal policy recognition.

Since then, a diverse group of young professionals has emerged. Some focus on agricultural technology, others lead e-commerce ventures, while still others take on roles as planners and operators in rural communities. By the end of 2025, Zhejiang had more than 108,000 rural entrepreneurs, who had helped boost incomes for over one million farmers.

One example is Xie Yixue, a graduate of Peking University, who moved to Xu'aodi village in Xiaocun township, Taishun county. She has contributed to the conservation-oriented development of this 800-year-old village, promoting local intangible cultural heritage. The village now attracts more than 10,000 visiting families each year, supports 32 household businesses, and has generated a cumulative 25 million yuan ($3.6 million) in additional income for nearby villagers over five years.

According to the Ten-Year Report on the Development of Zhejiang's Rural Entrepreneurs, these entrepreneurs have introduced new concepts, technologies, and business models into agriculture, with their efforts helping develop new products and markets, foster emerging rural industries, and improve the flow of capital and talent into the countryside, supporting integrated urban-rural development.

To date, Zhejiang has established 1,157 youth rural practice stations across the province. These have attracted 10,578 participants, offered 267,000 services to farmers, and are backed by dedicated support policies in all 87 agriculture-related counties, county-level cities, and districts.