Behind the poverty reduction figures

During the period 2021-2025, Vietnam achieved and exceeded the annual poverty reduction targets set by the National Assembly and the Government.

The numbers speak for themselves.

During the period 2021-2025, despite being heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and floods, Vietnam has persistently shifted its mindset and implementation towards multidimensional poverty reduction, focusing on sustainable poverty reduction and preventing re-poverty, especially in areas frequently affected by natural disasters.

The report summarizing the implementation of the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction in the period 2021-2025 shows that Vietnam has achieved and exceeded the annual poverty reduction targets set by the National Assembly and the Government . It is projected that by the end of 2025, the multidimensional poverty rate nationwide will be only about 1% – an impressive figure compared to the target of an average reduction of 1-1.5% per year. The poverty rate in poor districts will decrease to 24.86% (a decrease of 6.7% per year) and the poverty rate among ethnic minorities will decrease to 12.55% (a decrease of 4.45% per year).

Notably, the Program invested in the construction of 2,616 new infrastructure projects and the maintenance and repair of 2,340 existing projects in poor districts and particularly disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas. These efforts helped 19 out of 54 particularly disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas achieve new rural development standards, exceeding the assigned target of 30% (reaching 35.18%). This significantly improved living conditions, supported production, trade, goods circulation, and the provision of basic social services, contributing to narrowing the development gap between poor areas and other regions.

In addition, the Program has implemented 10,587 poverty reduction models and projects, attracting 205,585 households to participate. These models not only create sustainable livelihoods and increase income but also promote the shift in economic and labor structure in poor localities, from small-scale production to concentrated production linked to value chains. Of these, 6,174 agricultural production support projects have helped 99,594 households improve farming methods, apply high technology, and enhance productivity and product quality.

In particular, the program helps improve the quality of life and social welfare, addressing the shortcomings in basic social services. Accordingly, nearly 125,000 workers from poor, near-poor, and newly-escaped-from-poverty households have successfully been supported in finding employment, exceeding the minimum target of 100,000 workers. Nearly 6,300 job fairs have been organized, and more than 1.1 million employers and nearly 3 million job seekers have had their information updated in the national database.

The rate of stunting among children under 16 years old decreased to 26.43%, exceeding the target of below 34%. Nearly 200,000 children and almost 130,000 pregnant women received micronutrient supplementation.

By the end of August 2025, the program will support the construction and repair of housing for nearly 90,000 poor and near-poor households in impoverished districts. This is a positive contribution to the nationwide emulation movement "The whole country joins hands to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses".

Over time, sustainable poverty reduction models have undergone many innovations in both thinking and approach.

Many innovations in thinking and methods.

To achieve the outstanding results mentioned above, Dr. Tran Cong Thang, Director of the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Strategy and Policy, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said that in recent years, sustainable poverty reduction models have undergone many innovations in both thinking and methods, gradually shifting from direct support to giving people the "fishing rod," encouraging the poor to proactively strive for improvement, linking poverty reduction with production development, vocational training, livelihood transformation, and rural development.

To date, Vietnam has issued national poverty standards eight times, making it one of the first 30 countries in the world and the first country in Asia to apply a multidimensional poverty standard – ensuring a minimum standard of living linked to sustainable development goals.

According to Mr. Thang, localities have based their poverty reduction models on actual conditions, exploiting local advantages and resources. These models have focused on addressing the root causes of poverty, linking production with the market, building value chains, and increasing the participation of poor households.

“The models with very flexible policies go beyond just subsidies and production support; they also include training, capacity building, networking, community building, and providing effective production support policies, credit, and market access. The policies also focus on sustainable production and sustainable poverty reduction. Poor households are also reorganized and guided to work together to escape poverty and become wealthy,” Mr. Thang explained.

Citing the example of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses during the 2021-2025 period, the Minister of Health, Ms. Dao Hong Lan, also emphasized: We have changed our mindset, methods, and implementation approaches; establishing Steering Committees from the central level down to the commune and ward levels. Periodically, the Government and the Central Steering Committee for the elimination of temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide hold meetings to review and learn from experience. A large part of these meetings involve mobilizing resources from savings in state budget expenditures and regular spending; surplus budget funds are also allocated to the elimination of temporary houses; and the socialization of the business community and the people. Those in difficult circumstances also receive support from their families and communities during the implementation of this goal.

“With a more focused approach, synchronized implementation from the central to local levels, and the mobilization of all resources for the work of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses in the spirit emphasized by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: 'Everyone contributes what they can, everyone contributes their labor, everyone contributes their resources,' we have implemented it very decisively. By September 2nd – the 80th anniversary of the founding of the nation – we had completed the elimination of temporary and dilapidated houses 5 years and 4 months ahead of the target set in Resolution 42, with a total of 334,234 houses eliminated, at a total cost of nearly 50,000 billion VND,” Minister Dao Hong Lan stated.

The biggest challenge to poverty reduction efforts today is the risk posed by natural disasters, storms, floods, and epidemics.

Poverty reduction adapting to the new context

Despite achieving many positive results, the reality shows that the biggest challenge to poverty reduction today is the risk from natural disasters, storms, floods, and epidemics. Some provinces have just completed the elimination of temporary and dilapidated housing, but after just one storm, hundreds of households lose their homes, property, and crops. Not only do poor households become poorer, but even near-poor and relatively well-off households can fall back into poverty overnight.

According to statistics from the Climate Change Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, during the period 2010-2020, the total damage caused by natural disasters in the northern mountainous region amounted to more than 16,000 billion VND, significantly impacting GRDP growth targets, slowing down poverty reduction progress, and affecting the sustainable development of the locality.

Recognizing the increasing risks from natural disasters and epidemics, the Government has directed the integration of natural disasters and climate factors into the criteria for assessing and evaluating poor households. This approach is considered appropriate for the new context, making poverty reduction policies more flexible, adaptable, and humane.

During the period 2026-2030, Vietnam will innovate its approach, shifting from "criteria-based poverty reduction" to "adaptive poverty reduction" in the new context. The content of the sustainable poverty reduction program will focus on three major areas: supporting the development of socio-economic infrastructure in poor areas; reducing the dimensions of basic social service deprivation according to the new poverty line; and strengthening management, communication, monitoring, and ensuring effective implementation.

The Government report emphasizes that, during the 2026-2035 period, integrating the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction with the New Rural Development Program is a strategic step that will avoid policy duplication, unify objectives, and concentrate resources. This reflects a new mindset in policy management: shifting from support to empowerment, from subsidies to inclusive and sustainable development, and from the primary role of the state budget to a leading role in seed funding and creating momentum. Therefore, the Government proposes that the National Assembly consider and approve the investment policy for the National Target Program for New Rural Development and Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2026-2035 period.

It can be affirmed that sustainable poverty reduction is not only an economic goal but also a profound social and humanitarian task, reflecting Vietnam's commitment to building an inclusive developed country where all citizens have the opportunity to rise out of poverty and enjoy the fruits of development. With a solid foundation and strong determination from the entire system, Vietnam is moving closer to the goal of comprehensive poverty eradication, ensuring that no one is left behind.

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Source: https://baolaocai.vn/phia-sau-nhung-con-so-giam-ngheo-post885926.html