Pinduoduo, a digital platform connecting millions of farmers and consumers, is deepening its “Tech for Agri” drive to address critical needs in the agricultural sector and rural areas.
The company unveiled a “10 Billion Agriculture Initiative” last year to facilitate the advancement of agritech, promote digital inclusion, and provide agritech talents and workers with greater motivation and a sense of achievement. Funded by the company, the initiative would not be driven by profit or commercial goals.
Since its beginnings in 2015 as an online fresh produce retailer, Pinduoduo has identified technology as the key to driving efficiency gains and boosting farmer incomes.
The company has made its “Tech for Agri” vision a core priority, with a focus on increasing market accessibility through its e-commerce platform, improving digital inclusion and literacy through tailor-made online training programs, and fostering innovation to deliver a productivity leapfrog by promoting agritech solutions and horticultural breakthroughs.
“Technology will unlock the full potential of agriculture and allow the sector to reap the benefits of the digital economy,” said Chen Lei, Chairman and CEO of Pinduoduo. “At Pinduoduo, we champion ‘Tech for Agri’ and promote the use of technology for agriculture.”
With more than 880 million users, Pinduoduo has grown to become a major digital platform and has helped more than 16 million farmers connect to the digital economy. The company has used the platform’s unique position to solve practical problems that consumers and farmers face.
Besides advancing the development and adoption of agritech solutions, the “10 Billion Agriculture Initiative” will also seek to help farmers build brands to increase the marketability of their products, and slash food waste across the agrifood supply chain.
The initiative will also support efforts to foster new talent and innovation in agriculture, and encourage cross-disciplinary research and development into agritech.
The company has been organizing annual Smart Agriculture Competitions since 2020 that challenge data scientists and agricultural researchers to develop practical precision farming technology as part of efforts to promote sustainable, innovation-led growth in agriculture.
Pinduoduo will also continue to train farmers who are generally less tech equipped to gain the right digital skills so that they can enjoy the benefits of the digital economy. The company has trained more than 100,000 e-commerce savvy “New Farmers,” who have gone on inspire others in their communities to follow suit.
