In a remarkable demonstration of digital commerce’s power, a single livestream conducted beneath a walnut tree in rural Longnan resulted in the sale of 1,500 kilograms of walnuts within just two hours. This extraordinary event exemplifies the transformative impact of Gansu province’s agricultural brand initiative ‘Ganwei’ (meaning ‘flavor of Gansu’), which is driving unprecedented economic vitality across the region’s countryside.
Liang Qianjuan, a National People’s Congress deputy and rural e-commerce entrepreneur from Huixian county, highlighted how digital platforms have eliminated traditional transportation barriers that once hampered sales of local specialties. ‘E-commerce has given them wings,’ she stated during the Gansu delegation’s open day at the two sessions in Beijing. Over the past decade, Liang has expanded her enterprise from a solitary online store to a multi-platform operation spanning major e-commerce and livestreaming platforms, now marketing over 50 distinct products including edible fungi, wild honey, and artisanal bean products sourced directly from local farmers and cooperatives.
The digital transformation has generated substantial economic ripple effects throughout rural communities. Liang’s business currently collaborates with hundreds of households, while inspiring numerous farmers to launch their own online ventures specializing in regional products like walnuts and honey. Her company’s annual sales have surged from approximately 2 million yuan ($290,000) to over 6 million yuan, reflecting the broader expansion of Longnan’s e-commerce ecosystem which now encompasses more than 16,000 online stores with total sales reaching 8.8 billion yuan in 2025.
Beyond commerce, the initiative has created significant employment opportunities, particularly for rural women who previously remained at home. Many now work in packaging and logistics roles, earning monthly incomes between 3,000-4,000 yuan.
Concurrently, NPC deputy Yin Jianmin has pioneered comprehensive industrial chain development through the ‘one county, one product’ model. Drawing upon the Dongxiang ethnic group’s longstanding sheep-raising traditions in Linxia, Yin has established a fully integrated operation covering breeding, technical training, processing, and marketing of Dongxiang lamb. This initiative has enhanced lambing rates, expanded market access, and generated stable incomes for local farmers, benefiting over 10,000 people throughout the past decade while creating employment opportunities for ethnic minority women within their communities.
These grassroots efforts collectively advance the ‘Ganwei’ brand while transforming traditional agriculture into higher-value industries. According to Gansu Governor Ren Zhenhe, the province’s primary industry value-added growth has ranked among China’s top five for 19 consecutive quarters. The comprehensive agricultural industrial chain—encompassing livestock, vegetables, fruits, potatoes, Chinese medicinal herbs, grains, and seeds—has achieved an output value of 620 billion yuan. The ‘Ganwei’ brand has consistently ranked among China’s top regional agricultural brands for five consecutive years, with products distributed nationwide and exported to over 90 countries and regions.
As branding strategies, digital commerce, and agricultural modernization continue converging, the fundamental objective remains ensuring that high-quality agricultural products from farmers’ lands reach stable and profitable markets, thereby sustaining rural revitalization across Gansu province.