In mid-November's chill, a unique assessment unfolded in Liangping District's Anzhen Town, Chongqing. Led by Zhang Fusuo, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of China Agricultural University's National Agricultural Green Development Research Institute, an "Academician Flying Squad" conducted field evaluations at Chongqing Liangping Grain & Oil Tech Village. The national finals of the 3rd PDD Cup Tech Village Competition—part of China's Graduate Rural Revitalization Initiative—are now underway, with juries comprising agricultural experts and industry representatives having inspected 29 tech villages across 14 provinces since May.
The competition's highlight was the Flying Squad's on-site visits. In Chongqing's "Bashu Granary," the Liangping team transformed local rice farming through seed optimization, standardized planting, and value-added processing. Their efforts boosted yields by 20% while reducing costs, earning recognition from farmers who initially doubted these urban graduates. Academician Zhang noted the project's success stemmed from strong government-landowner collaboration in promoting standardized production.
Meanwhile, Hainan's Dongfang Tech Village tackled tropical agricultural waste by developing a molecular membrane fermentation system that converts organic waste into premium fertilizer within weeks—a process that traditionally took months. Farmer Tian Yunlong's passion fruit trial proved the fertilizer's cost-effectiveness, matching premium products at lower prices.
The contest introduced innovative evaluation methods, with juries posing practical challenges like "Diagnose this yellow-veined leaf" or "Name five farmers you've assisted." Participants described the process as a "field-based thesis defense" that exposed operational gaps. The upgraded competition framework featured five thematic tracks and four progressive stages, fostering nationwide exchange.
PDD Holdings has supported all three editions of the event. Its 2024 "Billion-Dollar Support" initiative further integrates platform resources with tech villages to commercialize agricultural innovations. As Academician Shen Qirong emphasized, "Tech Villages' role in converting research into productive forces is vital for rural revitalization." The program continues bridging laboratory breakthroughs with farmland applications, cultivating a new generation of agricultural talents equipped with both technical skills and grassroots understanding.