"Rural CEOs" Cultivated for Rural Revitalization
On the afternoon of June 16, the launch ceremony of the "Gathering in Yinzhou • Creating a Future for Ningbo" Provincial Rural Operation Prosperity Tour and Ningbo Rural Operation Roadshow (Yinzhou Station) was held at the Ningbo Academician Center. Twenty-one "rural CEO" operation teams from across the country gathered to explore new pathways for rural revitalization in Yinzhou and chart a new chapter for rural development. Officials from the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs delivered speeches, while Yu Ning, Deputy Party Secretary of Yinzhou District and Head of the Social Work Department and Political and Legal Affairs Committee, extended a welcome address.
As the first region in Ningbo to initiate the "Rural CEO Cultivation Program," Yinzhou has leveraged its rural resources to drive high-quality development in agriculture, rural areas, and farmers' livelihoods. It has successfully established a new rural operation framework guided by the government, driven by the market, and centered on villagers. Through a "collective matchmaking + talent competition" model, Yinzhou has built a "market-oriented recruitment + localized cultivation" matrix, using a merit-based mechanism to spur talent vitality. This has provided "rural CEOs"—who integrate roles such as rural planning, marketing, and wealth creation—with vast opportunities to thrive, synchronizing "beautiful countryside" with "beautiful economy." Last year, five "rural CEOs" were stationed in villages, introducing over 40 rural business formats (such as cafes, bakeries, and snack shops) and four projects (including study camps, rafting, "daytime coffee and nighttime drinks," and an ancient trail "forest retreat"), attracting over 40 million yuan in investment and creating over 100 local jobs.
"Talent is the key driver of rural development, and Yinzhou's 'rural CEO' initiative has shown initial success," said a representative from the District Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Moving forward, Yinzhou will deepen the "Rural CEO Cultivation Program," extend the "common prosperity equation" to more villages, expand recruitment channels, and enhance local talent training to empower more "rural CEOs" to excel in agricultural revitalization.
During the launch event, 62 rural operation projects of Ningbo were unveiled across three categories—"collaborative regional operations," "village revitalization," and "business format partnerships"—injecting strong momentum into rural development. The "Zhejiang Rural Professional Manager (CEO) Training Base" was announced, with Dongqianhu Town's Chengyang Village among the designated sites. Additionally, "Xiangcunxing," Ningbo's first rural operation platform, officially went live as Yinzhou's comprehensive rural operation service platform.