IFAD to Fund $30M for Poverty Reduction Project in Vietnam until 2020

From 2015 to 2020, the Community-based Poverty Reduction Project (CPRP) under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will invest over USD33 million in 30 communes of 5 districts in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang. Nguyen Minh Tien, the Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee confirmed the information. The project will be carried out in rural areas on a sustainable basis, to both increase the income and reduce the vulnerability of poor families in targeted communes. Accordingly, the project aims to reduce poverty by 50% and malnutrition amongst children by 30% by 2020 in the nominated areas while also balancing livelihoods between families mastered by male and those mastered by female. Being a mountainous province in the northern border area, Ha Giang province has 6 of 11 districts listed among 61 poorest districts of the country enjoying preferential policies based on Resolution 30a of the Government. Besides the high poverty rate at over 50%, the districts experience difficult transport conditions and poor knowledge of ethnic minorities. (Chinhphu Jan 30)