The Chinese government has taken significant ecological restoration measures to address the challenges of rocky desertification and poverty in South China karst. Nevertheless, despite the ongoing reduction of rocky desertification and the rapid growth in vegetation coverage, the sustainability of "greening" in the karst region remains uncertain due to its fragile geological background. To effectively address the challenges and technological demands associated with regional variations in restoration effects, the instability of ecological functions, and the neglect of the synergy between social and ecological systems in the context of karst rocky desertification treatment, the primary focus of early-stage measures has shifted from solely natural ecological systems to the coupling human and natural systems. The overarching objective is to strengthen the overall provision of ecosystem services. This endeavor encompasses the analysis of the social-ecological feedback mechanisms underlying rocky desertification treatment, the synergistic interplay between functional microorganisms and calcium in facilitating efficient soil carbon and nitrogen retention, the mechanisms governing water and nutrient supply in karst critical zones for vegetation restoration in rocky habitats. Then, the corresponding key technologies development breakthroughs will focus on the integration of karst social-ecological systems. Additionally, collaborative technologies development efforts will be made to enhance water retention and soil conservation in multi-interface karst, reconstruct vegetation communities based on rock-soil composition and ecological niche complementarity, coordinate cropping and breeding through the combination of biological nitrogen fixation and the efficient utilization of organic waste, and enhance carbon sequestration capacity through the synergy of ecological and karst processes. These pivotal technologies aim to form a comprehensive socio-ecological solution for the integration of ecosystem services improvement and rural revitalization. This project will provide scientific and technological support for karst rocky desertification treatment program and rural revitalization initiatives in South China karst.