A Study on the Development History of Agricultural E-commerce in Guizhou Province, 2012-2023

Abstract

From 2012 to 2023, Guizhou Province leveraged its mountainous agricultural resources and ethnic cultural advantages to actively explore an agriculture e-commerce development path suited to its regional characteristics. During this period, in response to the needs of agricultural modernization, Guizhou proactively addressed key constraints on agricultural e-commerce development: fragmented logistics networks due to karst topography, low levels of agricultural product standardization and branding, and talent shortages caused by a lack of digital skills. To overcome these challenges, Guizhou established a tripartite development framework integrating policy guidance, technological empowerment, and market-driven initiatives. The province integrated county-level logistics nodes to build a smart logistics network, reducing losses during agricultural product distribution; developed a geographical indication certification system and mechanisms for transforming ethnic cultural intellectual property to enhance product value; and innovated a "government-university-enterprise" collaborative talent development model to strengthen endogenous momentum for rural e-commerce growth. By improving infrastructure, activating cultural resources, and enhancing human capital supply, Guizhou has effectively connected smallholder farmers with modern markets through agricultural e-commerce, providing a successful model for e-commerce development in multi-ethnic mountainous regions of western China.