Implementation of CBMS in Vietnam’s localities Vu Van Toan (HEPR-MOLISA) Vu Tuan Anh (SEDEC) Poverty and Economic Policy Research Network Meeting June Dakar, Senegal

Activities of Vietnam's CBMS- Project in localities  Piloting the national system of poverty observatories (20 communes in 12 provinces).  Providing technical support to Ha- Tay Province to improve the provincial CBMS (30 communes-observatories).  Providing technical support to Yen- Bai Province to establish the provincial CBMS (10 communes- observatories).

(1) Piloting the national system of poverty observatories Purposes of poverty observatory system:  To follow-up poverty tendences in the whole country.  To analyse impacts of policy and measuses of poverty reduction to poor households and communes.  To evaluate of implementation of the National Programme of Poverty Reduction.

The national system of poverty observatories  12 provinces, 8 regions  20 communes: + 17 rural - 3 urban + 7 mountainous - 6 plains - 4 suburban  4,026 households (aprox. 200 households per commune) 19,700 individuals: + 82% ethnic majority + 18% ethnic minorities

CBMS in national poverty observatories  3 rounds: 2002, 2003, 2004  Multi-dimensional indicators  Local people collected data  Data used by HEPR for: + poverty assessment + impact evaluation of poverty reduction policies and measures + evaluate community-based poor household identification system.

Hanoi Dac Lac Province (Central Highlands) Son La Province (Northern Mountains) Tien-Giang Province (Mekong Delta)

(2) Using CBMS for improving the poverty monitoring system of Ha Tay Province  Ha-Tay province: has 14 districts, 323 communes, 2.5 mill. persons.  CBMS: 30 communes, 3,721 households, more than 16,000 persons  Before 2003: CBMS, but with only income indicator.  Contribution of CBMS project: + multi-dimensional indicators, + survey design and techniques, + data processing.

30 poverty observatories in Ha-Tay Province

Ha Tay Province

(3) Establishing CBMS in Yen-Bai Province  Yen-Bai province: mountainous, has 9 districts, 180 communes, 730 thousands persons.  In 2004, a CBMS is established: 10 communes, 9,000 households, 40,000 persons.  Role of CBMS project: + sample selection + questionnaire design, + training and monitoring data collection, + data processing.

10 poverty observatories in Yen-Bai Province

Yen Bai Province

Indicators of CBMS in localities  Population (HH size, ethnicity, occupation)  Food production  Living conditions (electricity, safe water, housing, toilete, durables)  Education (illiterate, children not going to school)  Health  Income (source structure, quantity)  Expenditures for basic needs (food, cloths, education, health care)  Implementation of the National Program for Poverty Reduction.

Lessons learned from work with localities  Promoting interest and initiatives of local partners: departing from existing PMS, adding CBMS components.  Partnership: + local partners are facilitators and surveyors. + project members are trainers and supervisors.  Local ownership: local partners are owners and users of outputs. Project assistance is only for departing period.

Short-term benefits of localities from CBMS  Getting more relevant data for poverty assessment.  Understanding multi-dimensional poverty.  Monitoring implementation of poverty reduction programs and measures.  Having a comprehensive data on living standards in locality.

Long-term (expected) benefits of localities from CBMS  Enhanced poverty reduction capacity of local governmental and non-governmental leaders.  Wider participation of local people in decision-making and controlling of poverty reduction measures.  Better information system on living standards of locality.

Thank you