Objective  An agricultural technology service system using the social media and media convergence technology was designed and tested for an effective venue for farmers to access up-to-date information relating to agricultural advances, improve the efficiency of service and information dissemination, and increase the utilization of available resources in support of rural revitalization.

  Methods  Utilizing the available multimedia and diverse transmission channels, a system that integrated information dissemination, virtual training, and interactive consultation for serving the agricultural community was designed. A WeChat public site was used as a platform and app programs for various system functions. Through resource integration, process optimization, and interface development, a service system was formulated and tested for its viability.

  Results  The newly developed Huinongxin system provided live micro-video, expert Q&A, and information query with the service-oriented (SOA) data interface significantly facilitated the execution of the designed purposes in serving the agriculture community. The establishments of an official account on WeChat and the inclusion of various apps eased the data downloading and software installation making the program exceedingly user friendly. For instance, online dialogue, message forwarding, and information exchanges, which effectively improved the dissemination and utilization efficiency of the system, accounted for 71.51% of the website visits in the trial.

  Conclusion  The Huinongxin agricultural technology service system utilized the media convergence technology and WeChat platform to provide effective information dissemination and exchanges. In trials, it exhibited an improved efficiency, ease of use, as well as cost reductions on training and education. It demonstrated the practical applicability as a tool for the designed mission and was recommended for implementation in China.