JD.com Inc, a Chinese e-commerce giant, has launched a series of initiatives in Danzhai county, a poverty-stricken area of southern Guizhou province, which will help improve sales of local agricultural products and handcrafts.

The e-tailer is offering to set up online and offline stores, which it hopes will benefit as many as 30,000 residents.

The work will involve the setting up of a regional logistics distribution system, the creation of more online brands, and will encourage more industrial product makers to sell to the region.

JD will also be helping with finance, offerings loans and business services.

Yang Kai, director of recruitment at JD's southwest operation, said the effort should create around 2,000 new jobs, including drivers, delivery men and packaging workers.

"The salary of a packaging worker, for instance, could be around 3,500 yuan ($530) a month.

"We have already received more than 150 applications from local residents at our career fair when we opened the service center," said Yang.

Li Heming, director of JD's rural e-commerce division, said the initiative will be run under the company's "Internet plus poverty alleviation" model, which offers individuals better systems and operations, rather that simply throwing money at their problems.

"Rather than giving straight cash, we will focus on developing and creating opportunities to help people in Danzhai sell their agricultural products better, such as fruit, vegetables and meat to other parts of China," he said.

"JD is also going to train local farmers in the necessary skills, in addition to teaching them about various areas of e-commerce, such as safety traceability and sales techniques.

"In this way, the development of local industries will be much stronger and more sustainable."

Danzhai is one of China's smallest and most-impoverished counties, with many of its residents still living in difficult conditions, often in remote and mountainous areas.

Xiao Zhi is currently living in Shenzhen, but after finding out about the efforts being planned in his hometown, the 19-year-old has applied to become a delivery man for JD in Danzhai.

"I would prefer to work somewhere that's closer to home, if the salary is right," he said.

Contact the writers at zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn and yangjun@chinadaily.com.cn

An employee at the rural e-commerce service center in Danzhai county helps local residents shop online. Provided To China Daily