Poverty reduction for ethnic minorities following asset-based community development in Muong So commune, Phong Tho district, Lai Chau province
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE OF HNUE
DOI: 10.18173/2354ꢀ1067.2016ꢀ0117
Social Sci., 2016, Vol. 61, No. 12, pp. 161ꢀ167
POVERTY REDUCTION FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES
FOLLOWING ASSETꢀBASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
IN MUONG SO COMMUNE, PHONG THO DISTRICT, LAI CHAU PROVINCE
Nguyen Thanh Binh
Faculty of Social Work, Hanoi National University of Education
Abstract. The worldwide poverty reduction has been a global issue and Vietnam is
not an exception. During the last years, Vietnam has obtained fixed achievements in
the work of poverty reduction; however, the significant difficulties and challenges,
particularly the poverty reduction for ethnic minorities have still been available. In
order to solve absolutely the poverty reduction for the ethnic minorities, we should
apply creatively all potential resources from the local people in combination with
the Government assistance. It is the sustainable community development.
Keywords: Poverty reduction, ethnic minorities, community, community
development.
1. Introduction
The poverty reduction has recently become the global issue. The poverty has
happened in all continents in the world at different levels. In spite of backward,
underdeveloped, developing or rich countries, the poverty has been the uncomfortable
issue for and challenge against the development of any country.
In Vietnam, the comprehensive and sustainable poverty reduction has always been
interested in by the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Government and determined to
be the objective throughout the socioꢀeconomic growth and one of the important duties
contributing to the socialistꢀoriented national development. Spending 20 years of the
renovation (Doi Moi), the poverty reduction has been socialized, becoming the duty of all
levels and sectors, and attracting the participation of crowded people. The achievements
of Vietnam in the poverty reduction have been highly appreciated as one of 10 countries
which have the fastest rate of poverty reduction.
However, the poverty reduction in Vietnam has currently also faced with significant
difficulties and challenges. Because of war consequences, Vietnam has derived from a
poor country of which the income and average expenditure per capita were low. The gap
Received date: 21/5/2016, Published date:29/10/2016
Contact: Nguyen Thanh Binh, eꢀmail: binhnt@hnue.edu.vn
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Nguyen Thanh Binh
between the poor and the rich, the urban and rural areas, among regions and groups of
residents tends to increase. The rate of the poor people who are the ethnic minorities
has still been high; potential reꢀpoverty may increase; employment opportunities for the
poor have been few. The rate of reꢀpoverty households has still been high. The poverty
reduction is unsustainable.
Therefore, in order to solve absolutely the poverty reduction, we should apply
creatively all potential resources from the local people in combination with the
Government assistance for the community growth. It is the sustainable community
development.
2. Content
2.1. Concept of Asset ꢀ Based Community Development (ABCD)
ABCD is the abbreviation of Asset ꢀ Based Community Development, in which A:
Asset; B: Based; C: Community; D: Development. It can be understood that ABCD is
“the asset ꢀ based community development”.
Currently, the researchers who follow ABCD approach think that the assetꢀbased
community includes 6 types as follows:
ꢀ Human capitals: The human capitals mainly emphasize the human factor, focusing
on the individuals who play the role as catalysis during the development and those who
connect the resources and have skills, talents, abilities and experiences in the community.
ꢀ Physical capitals: The physical capitals are construction works and buildings to
serve the people life such as: traffic roads, schools, medical stations, place of culture. . .
ꢀ Natural capitals: The natural capitals are the world’s stocks of natural assets
which include soil, water, natural fish, forest. . . Actually, the capital capitals exist in
three forms: exploited resources (found out and used), unexploited resources (found out
but unused) and potential resources (not found out). The looking for and detection of
potential resources shall help the community maximize its potentials and strength during
the development.
ꢀ Social capitals: The social capitals include spontaneous groups, organizations,
unions, institutions, sectors, relationship of members, and relationship among groups
and organizations in the community. The fundamental principle of ABCD approach is
to centralize the social relationships and the strength of the community is the power of
such relationships.
ꢀ Policy capitals: The policy capitals include village regulations, local laws, habits
and customs, preferential policies to the poor, the disabled. . . affecting positively the life
of people in the community.
ꢀ Financial capitals: The financial capitals include the economic resources in
the community such as: state budget; entrepreneurs or production businesses in the
community; banking systems; economic capacity of members in the community; credit
saving funds in the community. . .
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2.2. Application of ABCD approach to establish community development
project “Model of high quality rice intensive cultivation and field
mechanization” for poverty reduction for the ethnic minorities
Muong So field has very important location and characteristics for the production
of food and foodstuff in Phong Tho district in particular and Lai Chau province in general.
Muong So is also the center for goods exchange as well as socioꢀcultural center in Phong
Tho district. It is also the location of economic exchange with some districts and towns in
the province; Ma Lu Thang border gate trades with Kim Binh district, Van Nam province,
China. Muong So has many potentials to develop the agriculture ꢀ forestry ꢀ fishery such
as: even and flat cultivation area, favorable irrigational system, climate suitable to the
growth of some plants and domestic animals. The conditions of traffic and irrigation
have been fundamentally completed, currently improved and upgraded. The awareness
of officers and peoples on science and technology applied to the production has gradually
improved.
However, Muong So commune has still been purely agricultural region with 85%
of agricultural population. Its strength is land fund, climate and labor force which have
not been invested in and exploited reasonably. The standard and farming habits of the
residents, particularly the poor households, have still been low and backward, mainly
manual methods. The farmers have not bravely invested in mechanization and intensive
cultivation to increase the income from the farming area. Thus, the economic performance
has not been high. The average food consumption per capita is low; rate of poverty is high.
The project will help the residents exploit and improve the performance from
potentials and strength of Muong So field as well as support the poor households to
gradually transfer the structure of seasons, bring new seeds in intensive cultivation,
mechanize the fields, increase the income per area; establish the production region in
the direction of production of agricultural goods; then heighten the production standards,
increase income of the residents, contribute to speed up the poverty reduction, change
the thinking and awareness of the residents. The focused investment in production
development in Muong So field for the poor households and the households near the
poverty threshold is completely objective and meaningful, changing the face of production
regarding the economic growth in Muong So commune, Phong Tho district.
2.2.1. Targets of the project
+ General targets
Form faster change of material and spiritual life of the residents; remove gradually
the local traditional farming habits; apply advanced science to the production, contribute
to reduce the poverty rate (reduction of 3ꢀ4% each year), average food consumption
per capita reaching 300 ꢀ 350kg/person/year, contribute to increase the gross domestic
product (GDP) up to 12ꢀ15 million VND/person/year; develop the agricultural area into
specializing are; produce agriculture in the direction of production of agricultural goods,
establish the sustainable agriculture.
+ Specific targets
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Nguyen Thanh Binh
Help 466 poor households and 254 households near the poverty threshold in Muong
So commune, which participate in the project, gradually change the traditional farming
habits, approach the new science and technology, speed up the production. Increase the
labor productivity regarding soil preparation and harvesting up to 6ꢀ8 times against the
manual methods or buffaloes or cows. Release labor in agriculture. Also increase quality
of plants, contribute to heighten the productivity of plants in Muong So commune to 50
quintals/ha; reduce the rate of poor households in Muong So commune to 30%; speed up
the sustainable development.
2.2.2. Contents of assistance for the community development project
a. Participants
The poor households and households near the poverty threshold in Muong So
commune, and the households that voluntarily participate in the project undertake to
comply with the technical procedures given by the project; have sufficient resources,
production soil and labor force. They shall be provided with technical training, attend
seminars and conferences of model summary, entitled to whole products of the family
completed in the area supported by the project. . .
b. Scope, location and time
The project of high quality rice intensive cultivation is carried out in 11 hamlets of
Muong So commune with total area of 36.2ha, detailed as follows:
Number of
households
No.
Location
Scope (ha)
Tung So and Tung Cung fields,
Muong So commune
1
36.2
518
(Source: Midterm preliminary report of Party Committee of Muong So commune
in 2010ꢀ 2015)
c. Form and mechanism of investment, assistance and implementation of the
project
c1. Seeds, materials, machines and equipment
* Seeds and materials
ꢀ Mechanism of assistance: Finance 100% seeds, fertilizers, herbicides and
pesticides for the households that participate in the project.
ꢀ Form of assistance: Directly in kind for 518 poor households participating in the
project.
* Machines and equipment
ꢀ Mechanism of assistance: Finance 100% machines.
ꢀ Form of assistance: Support directly 8 tillage machines, 8 combined harvesters for
8 groups of households (each group provided with 1 tillage machine and 1 combined
harvester). The groups shall select the lead, establishing regulations of operation,
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maintenance and repairing machines in each group.
c2. Training
ꢀ Number of participants in training: 400. Number of training classes: 8. Each class:
50 trainees. Each class: 1 day
ꢀ Training time: From 8/2014 . Contents of training: technical process of cultivation,
caring of pure rice seed and techniques of machine operation.
ꢀ Location: Head office of Muong So Commune People’s Committee.
ꢀ Trainers: Including officers of professional divisions in the district. Their
qualifications are bachelor’s degrees and more.
c3. Communication
Communicate and expand the high quality rice intensive cultivation and field
mechanization by many forms via mass media, documents. . . helping the residents be
aware of and learn the way to organize and expand the model.
c4. Summary and assessment of project results and performance
The provincial, district and communal competent authorities, heads of hamlets,
and participating households, representatives of communal and districtꢀlevel people’s
committee will participate in summary and assessment of the project results
and performance. Particularly, assess efficiency of seeds, materials, techniques,
implementation plans and results against the proposed plan and targets.
d. Estimated results of the project
+ Economy
Ensure the productivity of pure rice of 50 ꢀ 55 quintals/ha, bringing about the
income of 50 ꢀ 55 million VND/ha/crop. Speed up the production, reduce labor force,
increase economic performance per area.
+ Society and environment
Offer employment to 518 households. Increase income to 55ꢀ60 million
VND/ha/crop; enhance intellectual standards of the people, contribute to poverty
reduction, stabilize food security and improve the national character; whereby transfer
advanced science and technology for the development of agricultural production
according to VIETGAP standard.
Through the project, transfer the suitable methods and techniques of cultivation to
the residents to apply in each region and create the residents’ interest in techniques to
enhance the knowledge of science and technology.
2.2.3. Measures of project implementation
+ Measure of seeds, pesticides and fertilizers
Pay attention to select high quality pure rice such as PC6, Huong Thom 1, Bac
Thom 7, . . . of which time of growth is short, suitable to the climate conditions of the
project area; select suppliers of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides. . . inside and outside the
province that are qualified and prestigious to supply standardized and quality goods;
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Nguyen Thanh Binh
intensify the propaganda, provide instructions for the residents to select methods of
selection, production and expansion of seeds for the subsequent crops. . .
+ Measure of technique
The district authorities in charge of technology transfer and professional agencies
must appoint the qualified and experienced officers in seeds, cultivation and plant
protection. . . to establish instruction and training documents for farmers; organize training
courses before the project implementation so that the farmers could take the initiative
in the production. Particularly, pay attention to the training and transfer of advanced
technology to the local key officers such as communal and hamletꢀlevel officers in charge
of agricultural encouragement, heads and vice heads of hamlets; strengthen the close
inspection and control in fields; provide guidance for timely treatment of insects and
harmful diseases. . . ; restrict the use of pesticides, reduce costs, preserve clean agricultural
products to protect the environment.
+ Measure of irrigation
Work with irrigation management board of commune and hamlet to take the
initiative in distribution and regulation of irrigation water reasonably, ensure the irrigation
water for plants.
+ Measure of machine management and operation
Form machine management teams (tillage machines, combined harvesters);
establish specific rule of machine operation and protection. Upon the project completion,
Muong So Commune People’s Committee will assign such teams to continue the
management and operation.
+ Measure of capital
The capital covered by the State budget will used for seeds, chemical fertilizers,
pesticides, herbicides, necessary machines and facilities. . . The capital contributed by the
residents will include labor, muck or green manure.
+ Measure of human resources
The households participating in the project will mobilize all labor forces in
combination with members of Trade Union and the youth to carry out the project.
+ Measure of market and consumption
Currently, the high quality agricultural products have been favored by the market.
Therefore, the output of the project will be accepted by the market and bringing about
economic performance to the residents.
3. Conclusion
The recommendation of project of “Model of high quality rice intensive cultivation
and field mechanization in Muong So commune, Phong Tho district, Lai Chau province”
is in accordance with the guidelines of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the
Government’s policies currently in order to help the poor households apply advanced
scientific and technological measures to the production, change the traditional farming
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habits, expand the intensive cultivation area and increase the crops, contribute to
poverty reduction, and help the people approach the method of centralized production
of agricultural goods.
REFERENCES
[1] Midterm preliminary report of Party Committee of Muong So commune in 2010 ꢀ
2015.
[2] Nguyen Thi Hong Chuyen, 2015. AssetꢀBased Community Development from
actuality in Mang Ri commune, Tu Mo Rong district, Kon Tum province; thesis of
Master in social work, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
[3] Chu Dung, 2007. Approaches to ABCD. Publishing House of Research Center ꢀ
Counseling Social Work and Community Development (SDRC).
[4] Nguyen Kim Lien, 2008. Community Development. Labor and Social Publishing
House.
[5] Nguyen Huu Nhan, 2004. Community Development. Publishing House of Vietnam
National University, Hanoi.
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