Ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands have benefited from the big poverty-alleviating credit policies of the government as well as credit programs funded by local budget. According to the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands, those credit programs helped cut the rate of poverty in the region by 2.7% points this year. Lam Dong province posted the largest reduction of 3%, and it also has the lowest poverty rate in the region, at only 3% of all households. Besides preferential loans for household economic activities, the provinces have provided landless ethnic households with land for housing and farming with more than 57,748 hectares granted so far. In addition, over 140,915 hectares of forest have also been allocated to 7,320 households to take care of. Furthermore, over 168,000 people, including many from ethnic minorities, have received vocational training. Thousands of workers who come from ethnic families have been given jobs in forestry and agricultural companies. The committee said the region aims to cut the poverty rate by at least 3% next year. (vietnamplus.vn Dec 23)
