E-commerce activates rural economy in Tian'e

In recent years, Tian'e county in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has been cooperating with e-commerce enterprises to promote sales of agricultural products and increase the incomes of rural residents.

A total of 23.27 million yuan ($3.3 million) has been invested to construct e-commerce public service centers, a county-town-village logistics system, and a traceability system in the county.

To date, one county-level public service center, nine service stations in townships, 49 village-level service sites and two logistics distribution centers at county level have been built.

Tian'e is also cooperating with express enterprises, including China Post, STO Express, YTO Express, ZTO Express, Best Express, Yunda Express, and Deppon Express, to open logistics routes in the county's rural areas and jointly develop rural express deliveries.

In addition, the county attaches great importance to the brand building of agricultural products. From January, seven enterprises in the county gained the green food production permit, and 15 enterprises which focus on organic, green, pollution-free, geographical indications and original products registered trademarks.

The Tian'e E-commerce Association was also established to attract talents to come back and start their businesses in the area. A mechanism for the county government, the association and enterprises (start-ups) to jointly promote poverty alleviation efforts through e-commerce was formed at the same time.

Tian'e Shangala Original Ecological Products Processing Co Ltd helps connect enterprises beyond the county to impoverished households, and agricultural products to markets. Since January, people in Gongchang village have earned more than 1.15 million yuan by selling lotus roots, sweet potatoes, and soybeans through the company.

Lingdang village has been paired with e-commerce teams to sell agricultural products, such as passion fruit and pumpkins, both online and offline. To date, the village's collective economic income totaled 140,000 yuan, of which 97,000 yuan is from poverty-stricken people.

Training activities were also carried out in Tian'e to foster and expand local e-commerce business teams, along with the popularization of e-commerce knowledge.

Since this year, 27 e-commerce training activities have been held in the county, training more than 1,460 people, 432 of whom were poverty stricken.

So far, the e-commerce trading volume of the county has reached 210 million yuan, while online rural retail sales were 140 million yuan.