Coordinating Digital-Driven Rural Industrial Integration in Sichuan’s Ethnic Minority Areas: A Multi-Actor Governance Framework

Abstract

Studies of rural digitalization commonly identify infrastructure gaps, limited skills, and fragmented resources, but listing these constraints does not specify how public and private actors should coordinate their responses. Focusing on the ethnic minority areas of Sichuan Province, China, this paper develops a multi-actor governance framework for digital-driven rural industrial integration. It distinguishes five actor groups—local governments, producer organizations, processing and service enterprises, digital platforms, and rural households—and considers the incentives and coordination failures that may arise among them. Building on polycentric governance and collective-action scholarship, the paper proposes a phased policy sequence: diagnose binding constraints and establish basic safeguards; develop producer capabilities and stable cross-industry relationships; and support differentiated value creation with outcome-based evaluation. It also recommends assessing integration through durable economic linkages, participation, and benefit distribution rather than infrastructure coverage or online sales alone. The framework does not claim to evaluate current programs empirically. Instead, it specifies responsibilities, sequencing principles, and criteria that can guide subsequent local implementation and research.