Although recent years have witnessed a considerable increase in studies on the economic value of ecological products, the extant literature has overlooked the multidimensional enhancement of ecological product value from the perspective of farmers’ well-being. This research aims to examine how the Realization of Ecological Product Value (EPVR) serves as a crucial pathway to promoting the overall well-being of farmers in developing countries. Through a case study of a village in southeastern China, this research reveals that EPVR can enhance farmers’ well-being via various mechanisms as follows: (1) Economic solution to enrich farmers’ livelihood diversity, achieved by leveraging rural resource endowments and comparative advantages; (2) Fair social protection program enabling farmers to enjoy ecological benefits and further achieving urban-rural integration; (3) Environmental protection plan that balances production, living, and ecology; and (4) Grassroots governance tool promoting the governance ability to form collaborative governance model in a community of shared interests. This study offers theoretical support for enhancing human well-being through the realization of ecological product value in rural areas.

As repositories of high-quality ecological resources, rural areas hold significant potential for advancing China's goal of common prosperity. However, a persistent challenge lies in how to leverage these ecological advantages to generate sustained income growth for rural populations. Drawing on a case study of village X in Nanping city, Fujian province, this study explores the mechanism through which Ecological Product Value Realization (EPVR) promotes farmers' income growth. Based on long-term field observation and in-depth interviews, the research adopts a value co-creation perspective to investigate how the collaborative creation and distribution of ecological value drives rural economic outcomes. Findings indicate that the key to linking EPVR with sustained farmer income lies in the establishment of a value co-creation mechanism that emphasizes both sustainability and inclusivity. Specifically, it involves coordinated participation among multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, enterprises, village collectives, and villagers, across four interconnected processes: (1) Consensus-building, through which actors align on shared goals for ecological resource utilization; (2) Value symbiosis, which facilitates collaborative development of ecological products and associated services; (3) Benefit-sharing, ensuring fair and transparent distribution of ecological gains to foster trust and long-term engagement; and (4) Sustainable realization, which institutionalizes practices and builds capacities to secure long-term ecological and economic value. Through the value co-creation mechanism, farmers are positioned not merely as passive beneficiaries but as active participants in value generation and distribution, enabling them to share more equitably in the added value of ecological products. This study provides a novel perspective and practical pathway for sustaining farmers' income growth, offering insights for advancing rural revitalization and achieving a broader goal of common prosperity.