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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Five-year Synthesis Report<br />
Part 2: <strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Rural</strong> <strong>Poverty</strong> <strong>Reduction</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Viet</strong> <strong>Nam</strong><br />
Possession of family assets<br />
Shortages <strong>in</strong> basic family assets fell strongly. Table 2.5 shows that the percentage<br />
of households liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> non-solid and temporary houses 20 , with no mo<strong>to</strong>rbikes or cattle<br />
fell <strong>in</strong> the last five years. The quality of hous<strong>in</strong>g for poor households <strong>in</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong>ous<br />
areas improved, benefitt<strong>in</strong>g from the Temporary Hous<strong>in</strong>g Elim<strong>in</strong>ation Programmes under<br />
Decision 134, and 167. Concessional loans from the Social Policy Bank are used by<br />
poor households <strong>in</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong>ous ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority areas <strong>to</strong> buy cattle. In some lowland<br />
areas (Thanh Xuong-Dien Bien, Cu Hue-Dak Lak, and Thuan Hoa-Tra V<strong>in</strong>h) where<br />
mechanized services are popular, the percentage of households with no cattle is high,<br />
although <strong>in</strong> these areas not own<strong>in</strong>g cattle does not reflect poverty. People tended <strong>to</strong><br />
buy mo<strong>to</strong>rbikes follow<strong>in</strong>g improvements <strong>in</strong> local roads. However, <strong>in</strong> general, the assets<br />
of poor households tend <strong>to</strong> be of low quality.<br />
69<br />
TABLE 2.5. Shortage of assets of households, 2007-2011<br />
Commune<br />
Temporary<br />
houses(%)<br />
No cattle (%)<br />
No mo<strong>to</strong>rbikes(%)<br />
2007 2011 2007 2011 2007 2011<br />
Thuan Hoa 24 10 5 8 64 20<br />
Ban Lien 6 2 9 4 72 19<br />
Thanh Xuong 17 0 81 69 28 13<br />
Luong M<strong>in</strong>h 61 55 52 39 89 71<br />
Duc Huong 8 0 10 14 55 31<br />
Xy 67 28 42 35 63 26<br />
Cu Hue 4 2 75 67 22 7<br />
Phuoc Dai 16 0 11 7 53 47<br />
Phuoc Thanh 24 0 31 20 87 43<br />
Thuan Hoa 55 17 67 71 53 36<br />
Average 29 12 39 34 59 31<br />
SOURCE: Household <strong>in</strong>terviews<br />
Some poor households built new houses and purchased assets they could not realistically<br />
afford. In many cases, poor households who received f<strong>in</strong>ancial support <strong>to</strong> build houses<br />
under Decision 167 became over <strong>in</strong>debted.<br />
Liv<strong>in</strong>g conditions<br />
Liv<strong>in</strong>g conditions rema<strong>in</strong> poor at most moni<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>ts.<br />
Many households lack latr<strong>in</strong>es or own only temporary latr<strong>in</strong>es. Few households<br />
use compost<strong>in</strong>g and or semi-compost<strong>in</strong>g latr<strong>in</strong>es (Table 2.6). The Government issued a<br />
support policy <strong>to</strong> help households build latr<strong>in</strong>es (VND 1 million /household concessional<br />
20 Accord<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> the guidel<strong>in</strong>e of the household survey procedures <strong>in</strong>troduced by the M<strong>in</strong>istry of Labour,<br />
Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) review of poor households, “simple houses” are houses hav<strong>in</strong>g three ma<strong>in</strong><br />
structures (bamboo pillars, roof and walls) made of non-durable materials; “non-solid houses” are houses<br />
hav<strong>in</strong>g only one of the three ma<strong>in</strong> structures made of durable materials.