Yen Bai diversifies livelihoods to sustainably reduce poverty

>> Yen Bai : Many solutions to diversify livelihoods for poor households

>> Yen Bai dramatically reduces poverty, people's lives improve

>> Yen Bai focuses on poverty reduction in "core areas"

>> Yen Bai diversifies livelihoods to support poor and near-poor households

>> Poverty reduction in core areas: Many livelihood supports for Yen Bai people

In the period of 2022 - 2024, poverty reduction work has recorded positive results, contributing to improving people's lives. According to the multidimensional poverty standard applied for the period of 2021 - 2025, the poverty rate in the province has decreased by an average of 4.13% per year, reaching and exceeding the target set by the Program. By the end of 2025, Yen Bai will record an impressive milestone when the poverty rate in the whole province is estimated to decrease to 4.18%, exceeding the planned target.

In particular, the poverty rate among ethnic minorities decreased by an average of 6.6% per year, nearly 1.6 times higher than the general reduction rate of the whole province. This achievement comes not only from the efforts of the political system but also from a profound change in poverty reduction thinking - from simple support to sustainable livelihood development.

In the conditions of strongly fragmented terrain, harsh climate, and uneven educational level, Yen Bai did not choose the easy way but chose a direction that was close to the reality of each region and each village. The province has developed economic models associated with local potential and traditional farming practices. On the hillsides of Tran Yen and Yen Binh districts, Bat Do bamboo shoots have taken root, forming a raw material area for processing and export. In the highland district of Tram Tau, the upland taro variety has been restored and upgraded with a methodical farming process.

In Mu Cang Chai, off-season pear trees are becoming the main crop providing stable income for hundreds of households. From 2021 to 2025, the province has developed and implemented 429 production development projects under national target programs with a total budget of VND 217.5 billion, supporting over 9,000 poor households, near-poor households, newly escaped poverty households and ethnic minority households.

The projects are implemented in the direction of conditional support, with repayment, limited free giving, contributing to changing thinking and production methods, helping people gradually improve productivity and income to escape poverty sustainably. To make these models truly effective, the province has encouraged people to join cooperatives, cooperatives, and link with businesses.

From small-scale, fragmented farming, farmers are connected to the market, have access to new techniques and have their products guaranteed. To date, Yen Bai has attracted 78 investment projects in difficult areas with a total capital of about 10,836 billion VND; implemented 74 projects linking production according to the value chain. Areas specializing in key agricultural and forestry products have been expanded in scale, improved in quality and closely linked to deep processing and stable consumption. In the journey of poverty reduction, policy credit plays a key role.

Deputy Director of the Provincial Social Policy Bank - Do Long Thao said: "We do not stop at lending capital but also work with political and social organizations to accompany people throughout the process of developing their livelihoods. Through the system of credit officers and savings and loan groups at the grassroots level, poor households are given specific instructions on how to use capital, production techniques, and how to manage household economy. This is the key point for policy capital to truly be effective."

In the period of 2021 - 2025, the whole province has more than 65,000 poor, near-poor and newly escaped poverty households accessing policy capital with a total turnover of 4,645 billion VND; the overdue debt rate is low at less than 0.1%, showing clear efficiency in capital management and use. Notably, more than 28,500 households borrowing capital have successfully escaped poverty.

Along with credit, the province has supported the construction and repair of nearly 9,400 houses; created jobs for 110,339 workers, provided vocational training for 99,504 people; shifted the labor structure for 39,289 people from agriculture to non-agriculture; of which, 7,704 workers from poor and near-poor households were given jobs, and 7,278 people were given vocational training.

The above figures are evidence of systematic investment and also reflect a clear change in people's thinking. Many households have proactively written applications to escape poverty, refusing to receive support to affirm their ability to be self-reliant. From 2021 to present, the whole province has had 1,342 poor households voluntarily write applications to escape poverty sustainably.

Sustainable poverty reduction in the province is becoming a journey of companionship. There, the government stands side by side with the people; businesses invest responsibly; mass organizations are closely involved; people are the center of all policies. In the context of the province about to enter a new development stage after administrative merger, the lesson on livelihood diversification - developing internal strength, activating self-reliance thinking is more widely referenced. When livelihoods are diversified, confidence is aroused, self-reliance thinking is nurtured, the poverty reduction journey is not only a socio-economic goal but also a path to sustainable and inclusive development.

Thong Nguyen

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/350587/Yen-Bai-da-dang-sinh-ke-giam-ngheo-ben-vung.aspx