Vietnam Aims to Cut Ethnic Poverty Rate by 4% Annually by 2020

Vietnam has set a target of reducing the percentage of poor households among ethnic minority groups by 4% per annum by 2020, as part of the newly-approved Ethnic Work Strategy by that year.  The strategy aims to raise the quality of material and spiritual life of disadvantaged people in the northwest and central highlands regions, central coastal areas, east of Truong Son mountain range and the revolutionary base. The strategy targets to eliminate dilapidated houses, quadruple average incomes for ethnic minority people, tackle land and water shortage for production and produce goods for consumption and exports. Under the plan, the country aims to bring 95% of school-age children to schools and increase the number of students and farmers. The strategy touches upon manpower training development by sending and encouraging scientists and managers to go to work in remote, border and disadvantaged areas. The educational system will be rearranged to train ethnic minorities. To obtain the poverty reduction goal, the country will set up areas specializing in producing profitable products, such as coffee, peanut, rubber, tea, furniture, maize and high-tech vegetables as well as promote ecological tourism activities in ethnic minority-inhabited areas. In a recent report, the World Bank (WB) has called for a “dynamic” approach to poverty reduction in Vietnam as it is facing tremendous challenges, including changes in regional patterns of poverty and wealth, high and persistent poverty among ethnic minorities, and rising inequality in outcomes and opportunities. Although Vietnam has 53 ethnic minority groups, which accounts for 15% of the national population, they made up 50% of poor people across the country in 2010. The groups mainly live in rural and remote areas, which have low labor productivity, are vulnerable to natural disasters and suffer numerous socioeconomic difficulties. (baodientu.chinhphu.vn Mar 13, Dai Bieu Nhan Dan – People’s Deputy Mar 15 p2)