Breathing new life into villages amid urbanization

Rapid urbanization and the migration of rural residents, particularly the younger population, to cities in search of better employment and educational opportunities may lead to economic stagnation and even decline of rural areas.

During fieldwork in four villages in Jiyuan, in northwestern Henan province, our research found that most of the residents are aged 60 and above. Younger people have left the villages to work and settle in urban areas.

But contrary to a picture of "rural decline" as some may imagine, these villages boast a well-developed vegetable seed industry. Seed companies cooperate with villagers on vegetable cultivation, enabling them to earn decent incomes and keep their land productive.

Households in these villages typically follow an intergenerational division of labor to maximize family income through rational allocation of labor.

People who left to work in urban areas when young have returned in old age, while their children, who achieved higher levels of urbanization, chose to settle down in urban areas.

What is noteworthy is that Jiyuan has developed industries to effectively support the development of its villages. Besides the seed industry, it has a robust manufacturing sector that offers job opportunities for rural migrants and helps them settle in local urban areas.

Leaving the village no longer means leaving one's hometown behind. My research shows that many young people living in downtown Jiyuan return to their villages on weekends to visit their families. Some even take their parents to live with them in the city when the elderly require care.

Also, staying in villages no longer means compromising on living standards. All the villages surveyed have access to tap water, electricity, roads and internet, and enjoy a clean environment and public security.

China has rolled out a series of initiatives to upgrade living conditions, improve infrastructure, foster industries and enhance the rural environment, aiming to make the countryside suitable for both living and working.

These measures are helping villages transition from traditional lifestyles to modern residential spaces distinct from urban areas.

Jiyuan exemplifies how rural vitalization is interconnected with agricultural modernization, new-type urbanization and new-type industrialization. This integrated approach helps achieve a lifestyle that is more friendly toward people, allowing them to lead high-quality lives in both urban and rural areas.

Over the past decades, China's rapid urbanization and industrialization have seen many farmers shift between urban and rural areas at different life stages. They migrate to cities when young and return to their villages for retirement, sometimes spending the final years in urban areas with their children. Therefore, narrowing the urban-rural development gap and enabling free movement between urban and rural areas is critical for their well-being in later life. Living a "partly urban, partly rural" life, these people form strong links and foster interactions that support coordinated rural vitalization and urbanization.

To make this lifestyle more attainable, a governance system featuring "urban-rural coordination" is essential. This involves ensuring equal access to infrastructure, public services and social security for both urban and rural residents, lowering the cost of farmers settling down in urban areas. This will enable a more efficient flow of labor and other resources, stimulate domestic demand and drive the growth momentum. Additionally, coordination between the grassroots governing bodies in villages and urban communities will help address challenges that farmers face amid urbanization.

It's important that rural vitalization and urbanization consider local conditions because development priorities vary across villages. Only a few villages need to be abandoned due to harsh conditions, fragile ecosystems or frequent natural disasters.

Most villages can retain multiple functions despite varying degrees of population decline. They serve as homes for villagers, embodying their sense of belonging and identity, while the land is a source of income.

Vitalization of these villages should focus on maintaining their functions and boosting their production and business capacity.

Villages on urban fringes, with pastoral resources and access to urban markets and transport, have great urbanization potential. Their development should focus on enhancing their capacity to support urban growth and accommodate relocated industries and services.

At the same time, some remote villages require efforts to preserve and pass on their unique cultures. These include villages famous for their historic and cultural significance, traditional settlements and scenic beauty.

Therefore, the population decline in rural areas due to urbanization does not spell the end of villages.

Comprehensive rural vitalization, centered on integrated urban-rural development, will enable villages to preserve and enhance their resources, ecosystems, social ties and cultural values, ensuring they remain irreplaceable stabilizers for food security and social stability.

The author is a professor of grassroots governance at the School of Sociology, Wuhan University.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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