Five years after the implementation of the national program on poverty reduction, the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum has seen a rapid poverty reduction with people’s living standard in poor communes remarkably improved. The poor have had greater opportunities to escape poverty and over 10,000 families have been lifted out of poverty over the past five years. This information was given by the Kon Tum provincial People’s Committee during a meeting to review the implementation of the program. The poverty reduction achievements were seen more clearly in Kon Tum City, with the rate reducing from 17% in 2006 to below 7% in 2010, Kon Plong with the rate reducing from 87% to 36%, and Dac To commune of Kon Ray district with the rate reducing from 44% to 12%. Over the past five years, 36,769 poor families have been given loans worth VND356.64 million; 3,350 poor families have been assisted with cultivated land and land for dwellings; over 36,600 poor people have been given knowledge on agricultural, forestry and fisheries production; 13,447 poor farmers have been given vocational training on wood work, construction, mechanics and brocade making; and many thousands of poor families have been assisted with housing and safe water. In the next five years, Kon Tum province will strive to reduce the number of poor families by 4%-5% each year, ensure essential demand for the poor, and provide adequate infrastructure for extremely disadvantaged villages, communes and districts. (cpv.org.vn Jan 12)
