​IFAD China's field dialogue: bridging technology-driven Women's empowerment in human with global learning

May 21-23, 2025, Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province: The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) China Office hosted the 'Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation: 2025 HER Power, HER Stories Dialogue' event at IFAD's Hunan Rural Revitalization Demonstration Project(H2RDP) sites in Fenghuang County. This marked the first time IFAD invited national and international stakeholders and partners to visit its project sites firsthand, showcasing rural solutions for women empowerment. Around 100 participants from UN agencies, embassies, NGOs and private sectors attended the event either in person or online. 

On May 22, participants visited the Minrui Fruit Cooperative. Founders Zhang Xiuxia and her husband shared their stories with visitors, where they returned from Shenzhen to their hometown with a strong desire to support local farmers. Drawing from their background in agribusiness, they introduced a range of sustainable agricultural innovations, including vertical cultivation techniques for kiwifruit, the development of new fruit varieties, and the introduction of high-value by-products and labour-saving tools. These innovations have not only reduced manual labour but also improved productivity and increased household income for nearby farming families. With IFAD's fund of RMB 936,500 (approximately US$129,000), the cooperative has generated livelihoods for over 20,000 rural residents, underscoring the power of local leadership and inclusive technology.

On May 23, participants explored the World of Ethnic Batik Cooperative, where they engaged in hands-on batik and tie-dye making. The cooperative, founded by Yao Liujv, was inspired by her grandmother's traditional craftsmanship. Supported by an IFAD fund of RMB 598,000(approximately US$8286), the cooperative exemplifies how cultural industries can create sustainable livelihoods and social value when led by empowered rural women.

At the Fenghuang Congwen Tea Cooperative in Liaojiaqiao Township, participants experienced both traditional tea-processing techniques and a new milk tea product developed to attract younger consumers. Revitalized through IFAD's support, the cooperative received fund of nearly RMB 1 million (approximately US$138,000) two years ago, which helped upgrade its cultivation, irrigation, and e-commerce infrastructure—significantly benefiting women tea producers in the area.

From Local Innovation to Global Learning: Linking Practice to South-South Policy Dialogue

The fourth iteration of the annual Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation event series, this year's held significance – it coincided with the 45th year of IFAD to invest in China's rural development. 

This year's event served as a platform to stimulate international dialogue and South-South knowledge exchange on how digital transformation and technological innovation can advance women's economic independence, reduce their labour burden, and enhance their decision-making power within families and communities. Women and girls living in rural areas face a triple divide: they experience barriers not only due to their gender, and the area they live in, but also their lack of access to digital technologies. 

In Fenghuang, Hunan, the practice of empowering women through technology has energized rural revitalization efforts and presented a China model for women’s development across the Global South.

Gao Anming, Editor-in-Chief of China International Communications Group and Director of China Internet Information Center, emphasized that China is exploring a development path that leverages technological innovation to promote social equity—experiences that belong not just to China but to all countries seeking to address imbalanced development. 

Mohammad Mominui Hoque Bhuiyan, Economic Counsellor at the Embassy of Bangladesh in China, has been in China for two and a half years and has visited many major cities, but this was his first trip to a remote yet dynamic place like Fenghuang County. “In the past two days, I have seen China's comprehensive initiatives to promote rural development and empower women,” he said, noting that these efforts align closely with Bangladesh's 'Three Zeros' vision: zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emissions. 

“I think China's model is highly replicable across the Asia-Pacific region,” said Nishtha Vashishta, IFAD's Gender and Social Inclusion Officer for Asia and the Pacific. “We’ve seen that when China and IFAD invest in women's leadership and technological skills, these women, in turn, reinvest in their communities—creating a ripple effect.”

“You often see in parts of China that left-behind women feel excluded—not part of the town, nor fully part of the village,” reflected Professor Robert Walker, sociology and global governance professor at Beijing Normal University who spoke about his field visit experience. “What we're seeing here is the opposite: women are gaining new skills—how to grow tea, how to cultivate crops—skills that help them progress and rediscover their potential.” 

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, institutions like IFAD are uniquely positioned to offer a platform for exploring these solutions. Through its China-IFAD South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) facility, IFAD fosters the exchange of knowledge, innovations, and experiences across the Global South, helping to adapt successful models like China's to different local contexts. 

Nii Quaye-Kumah, IFAD Country Director and Head of the Asia-Pacific Regional Centre for South-South and Triangular Cooperation emphasized that IFAD remains firmly committed to making gender equality a central pillar of green and inclusive rural development. Looking ahead, IFAD will continue to support China's broader development goals while helping to translate its successes—such as empowering rural women through technology—into valuable insights for other developing countries. In doing so, IFAD will play a key role in advancing global knowledge exchange and innovation in the agricultural development sector.