Challenges to Rural Poverty Reduction in Viet Nam - Oxfam Blogs
Challenges to Rural Poverty Reduction in Viet Nam - Oxfam Blogs
Challenges to Rural Poverty Reduction in Viet Nam - Oxfam Blogs
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Participa<strong>to</strong>ry poverty moni<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> rural communities <strong>in</strong> <strong>Viet</strong> <strong>Nam</strong><br />
120<br />
BOX 8.1 Plann<strong>in</strong>g us<strong>in</strong>g new approach <strong>in</strong> Luong M<strong>in</strong>h and Xy<br />
communes<br />
Luong M<strong>in</strong>h commune<br />
In 2010 and 2011, Luong M<strong>in</strong>h Commune (Tuong Duong, Nghe An) applied a new<br />
approach <strong>in</strong> socio-economic development plann<strong>in</strong>g. Members of the commune<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g team received tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g on the plann<strong>in</strong>g process <strong>in</strong> the district. The heads<br />
of villages and secretaries of village Party Cells were also given guidance by<br />
district cadres and commune work<strong>in</strong>g teams at the commune People’s Committee’s<br />
headquarters.<br />
The new plann<strong>in</strong>g approach is more progressive than the traditional approach<br />
because of <strong>in</strong>creased participation and proposals are based on local realities. At<br />
the village meet<strong>in</strong>g, villagers made active contributions. The commune plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
workshop was highly appreciated by most grassroots cadres because of the<br />
participation of leaders and representatives of all branches and organizations <strong>in</strong> the<br />
commune and villages.<br />
However, there rema<strong>in</strong> some shortcom<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> the plann<strong>in</strong>g work <strong>in</strong> Luong M<strong>in</strong>h<br />
commune. At village meet<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>to</strong> collect <strong>in</strong>formation, recommendations are ma<strong>in</strong>ly<br />
associated with <strong>in</strong>frastructure projects, without cultural-social-environmental<br />
proposals and community-bases solutions (that need no f<strong>in</strong>ancial resources).<br />
Commune branches and organizations do not submit reports on time. For different<br />
reasons, the commune submitted its plan for 2012 later than the deadl<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
Xy commune<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce 2011, Xy commune (Huong Hoa, Quang Tri) began reform<strong>in</strong>g its plann<strong>in</strong>g with<br />
assistance from Plan International. Unlike Luong M<strong>in</strong>h commune, Xy commune applied<br />
the Participa<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>Rural</strong> Assessment (PRA) approach when collect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation from<br />
villages. The new plann<strong>in</strong>g approach has <strong>in</strong>volved more participation from local<br />
residents, particularly vulnerable groups (women and children).<br />
However, as it was the first time Xy commune applied the new plann<strong>in</strong>g approach,<br />
there were a number of issues. Village cadres did not have the capacity <strong>to</strong> undertake<br />
the PRA approach effectively. Commune cadres had <strong>to</strong> help with fund<strong>in</strong>g provided<br />
by the project. People made very few proposals as they are not <strong>in</strong>terested and are<br />
hesitant <strong>to</strong> speak up <strong>in</strong> public, and have no full understand<strong>in</strong>g of the nature of the new<br />
plann<strong>in</strong>g approach. The <strong>in</strong>formation sheets of commune branches and organizations<br />
conta<strong>in</strong> many errors, and some were delayed <strong>in</strong> submission.<br />
8.2. Community Development Fund (CDF)<br />
The goal of the Community Development Fund (CDF) is <strong>to</strong> help communes have a<br />
decentralized f<strong>in</strong>ancial source <strong>to</strong> implement small projects (<strong>in</strong>frastructure facilities<br />
or support livelihoods), build capacity <strong>in</strong> socio-economic development plann<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
f<strong>in</strong>ancial management.<br />
The quality of plann<strong>in</strong>g and implementation is higher when f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g is<br />
decentralized <strong>in</strong> the form of CDF. In Tuong Duong and Ky Son (Nghe An) and Hai Lang<br />
District (Quang Tri) CDFs contributed <strong>to</strong> better commune plann<strong>in</strong>g and implementation.<br />
Community development funds are relatively small (60-80 million VND per commune),<br />
however, they play a crucial role motivat<strong>in</strong>g people <strong>to</strong> participate <strong>in</strong> the plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
process (Box 8.2). As a result plans are better suited <strong>to</strong> local conditions and the desires<br />
of residents.