Bắc Giang exceeds poverty reduction targets with innovative local strategies

Đỗ Thị Mai from Khiêu Hamlet, Phương Sơn Town, with her chickens supported through the sustainable poverty reduction programme.

BẮC GIANG — Poverty reduction efforts in Bắc Giang Province have achieved remarkable success in recent years, driven by a combination of strong government support and the unwavering determination of local residents.

These initiatives have not only resulted in significant improvements in living conditions, but have also laid the groundwork for sustainable development in the region.

The province increasingly affirms its commitment to the goal of 'Working Together for the Poor - No One Left Behind' through flexible and innovative methods tailored to local conditions.

As part of the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the period 2021-2025, Bắc Giang aims to reduce the provincial poverty rate by an average of one per cent each year.

To date, the province has consistently exceeded its targets, achieving an average annual poverty reduction of 1.32 per cent from 2021 to 2023.

In 2021, the first year under the new poverty standards, the provincial poverty rate stood at 5.27 per cent. This figure decreased to 3.81 per cent in 2022 and further to 2.63 per cent in 2023.

Not only has the province achieved notable reductions in poverty, but the sustainability of its poverty alleviation measures has also improved.

From 2016 to 2020, the average rate of households falling back into poverty was 0.64 per cent and this figure decreased to 0.39 per cent during the 2021-2023 period.

Deputy director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Trương Đức Huấn, said that the province’s approach involves mobilising the entire political system and society, fostering a spirit of self-reliance among the poor.

Sơn Động District, one of the poorest districts in the country, has achieved an average annual poverty rate reduction of five per cent from 2020 to 2023, surpassing the target of 2.5 to 3 per cent.

In 2023 alone, the district recorded a poverty reduction of 5.23 per cent, exceeding its goal of 4 per cent. Local authorities and residents are now focused on implementing strategies to lift Sơn Động out of poverty by 2025.

Deputy chairwoman of Sơn Động District People's Committee, Tống Thị Hương Giang, noted that the district combines solutions to support production, create jobs and increase incomes for the poor while prioritising resources for infrastructure development.

Through the project for supporting investment in socio-economic infrastructure in poor districts, a part of the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the period 2021-2025, Sơn Động has received over VNĐ374.4 billion (US$14.74 million).

This funding has facilitated the improvement and construction of five inter-communal transport projects, enhancing goods transport and community services, alongside the establishment of four health stations serving over 3,500 households.

The district has also maintained and repaired 44 rural roads and pumping stations, strengthening essential infrastructure for production and living standards, creating regional connectivity and promoting trade to support sustainable poverty reduction.

Bắc Giang aims to reduce the provincial poverty rate to 1.8 per cent by the end of 2024, and to 0.9 per cent by the end of 2025.

Prioritising resources for difficult areas

Bắc Giang has allocated nearly VNĐ720.7 billion for the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction during the 2021-2024 period, encompassing seven component projects.

Bàng Văn Vi’s family from Tuấn Đạo Commune, Sơn Động District, showcases their successful medicinal plant cultivation model.

Local authorities have adopted flexible and innovative measures to prioritise resources for challenging areas, applying appropriate support methods that align with the real conditions of the poor to maximise effectiveness.

From 2021 to 2023, under the livelihood diversification and poverty reduction model expansion project, Bắc Giang has implemented 230 projects supporting production development, including 27 crop projects and 203 livestock projects, benefitting nearly 3,300 poor households and 1,840 near-poor households, with 335 households escaping poverty.

Lục Nam, one of the mountainous districts in Bắc Giang with a significant ethnic population, has also seen progress.

In 2024, the local authority allocated funds for 25 projects to support households in livestock and crop production, with a total budget of over VNĐ5.1 billion.

Head of the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in Lục Nam district, Vũ Hoài Sơn, said that to enhance the effectiveness of support for residents, local authorities provide information about support programmes without imposing restrictions, allowing households to choose suitable crops and livestock based on their production conditions, climate and local soil quality. They also form groups of experienced farmers to assist poorer households.

After being classified as a poor household due to health issues, Đỗ Thị Mai, 40, from Khiêu Hamlet, Phương Sơn Town, received 450 chicks through the sustainable poverty reduction programme.

Local officials assisted her in building chicken coops and provided training in animal care. Choosing poultry farming to suit her family's needs, Mai's flock is now thriving and she anticipates escaping poverty by year’s end.

To address the housing shortage for poor and near-poor households, Lạng Giang District has intensified advocacy and mobilised community resources from businesses, philanthropists, party members, and the public.

In 2024, local authorities identified 156 households in the district needing new or repaired housing.

Within seven months of launching the campaign, they mobilised over VNĐ5.1 billion in cash, successfully eliminating temporary and dilapidated homes for poor families and veterans.

These innovative approaches have significantly improved the material and spiritual lives of the poor in Bắc Giang, encouraging a mindset shift towards self-empowerment.

Each year, hundreds of households request removal from the poverty list, with 113 families opting to escape poverty in 2023 alone. — VNS