Advanced vocational colleges as institutional actors in rural revitalization through medicinal plant cultivation in Jiangsu Province China

Abstract Background The implementation of China’s Rural Revitalization Strategy has intensified the demand for sustainable development of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry, particularly in relation to the standardized cultivation of medicinal plants. As key actors in applied talent training and technology transfer, advanced vocational colleges are increasingly expected to contribute to rural industrial upgrading. Purpose This study investigates the current development status of medicinal plant cultivation in Jiangsu Province and examines how vocational colleges can support rural revitalization through targeted industrial and educational interventions. Methods A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining document analysis with a field-based questionnaire survey. Data were collected from medicinal plant growers, planting enterprises, and local administrative personnel in Huai’an City using convenience sampling. Descriptive statistical methods were employed to examine planting scale, production practices, income distribution, risk exposure, and institutional support demands. The study is exploratory and descriptive in nature and does not aim to establish causal relationships. Results The results show that Jiangsu Province has formed an initial regional pattern of medicinal plant cultivation centered on representative varieties such as mint ( Mentha haplocalyx ), Atractylodes macrocephala ( Chinese Atractylodes rhizome ), and Pseudostellaria heterophylla ( heterophylly falsestarwort root ). While planting scale and total output value have expanded steadily, structural challenges persist, including fragmented production units, insufficient improved seed systems, limited on-site primary processing capacity, and weak market branding. Most growers rely heavily on experiential knowledge and are highly vulnerable to price volatility. Conclusions Advanced vocational colleges may play a strategic role in addressing these constraints by integrating education, technology services, and industry collaboration. Strengthening industry clusters, enhancing technical extension capacity, and improving market-oriented cooperation mechanisms are important pathways for promoting the high-quality development of medicinal plant cultivation and advancing rural revitalization.