Basic Characteristics and Cultivation Reflection of Young Rural Talents in Western China

Young rural talents are a crucial supporting force for implementing the rural revitalization strategy. The talent shortage in western China is particularly prominent, making in-depth research on the development of young rural talents in western regions of significant practical importance. Based on survey data from 1,443 rural talents across 8 key assistance counties in 4 western provinces, this paper systematically analyses the basic characteristics of young talents from three dimensions: talent stock, talent flow, and talent allocation. The findings reveal that: in terms of talent stock, the total number of young talents in western regions is severely insufficient, the proportion of female talents continues to rise, and internal differentiation in human capital quality is evident; regarding talent flow, cross-regional mobility of young talents has strengthened, institutional talent recruitment plays a prominent role, while the proportion of market-driven spontaneous returns has declined; in terms of talent allocation, young talents’ career choices favour stable jobs within the institutional system, with continuously decreasing proportions engaged in agricultural work and working at the village level. Currently, young rural talents in western regions face prominent issues including coexistence of quantity shortage and quality differentiation, insufficient market-driven return momentum, intensifying risk of talent gap in the agricultural sector, inadequate coordinated development between local and external talents, and limited development opportunities for female talents. Accordingly, this paper proposes policy recommendations including establishing systematic long-term cultivation mechanisms, improving market-oriented talent return policies, strengthening specialized cultivation of agricultural talents, promoting coordinated development of local and external talents, and improving gender-friendly cultivation systems, thereby providing talent support for advancing rural revitalization in western regions.