Rural Income Diversification Project: Outcome in Ninh Lai commune

20/07/2010 -Rural Economics Times The Rural Income Diversification Project (RIDP) funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) aims at improving livelihood for poor and ethnic minority households. As a result, beneficiary households are able to access loans and technology transfer to actively improve their family income and overcome poverty. Since the project was launched, communities in Ninh Hoa 1 village, Ninh Lai commune (Son Duong district, Tuyen Quang province) have been able to access opportunities to change their thinking and production methods towards livelihood development Ninh Hoa 1 was once among the poorest villages in Ninh Lai commune. People here mainly depended on agricultural production for their livelihood. Since the RIDP was initiated in the village, many households have found new ways to generate income for their families. "RIDP is an investment project with components focusing on: finance and small business development; agro-forestry extension and applicable research; livestock production and veterinary; forestry land use management; training; infrastructure development; and credit provision for women for production development. Poor households have actively participated in the project as a result of communication efforts by the project", said Nguyen Thi Lan, head of the Women Saving and Credit Group (WSCG) cum vice-chairman of the Village Development Board. Over three years since the project commenced, the WSCG have accumulated saving of VND 7.48 million and generated VND 2.154 million in interest payment. In collaboration with the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, the project has disbursed VND 40 million to group members to develop small business models. In addition, members are also entitled to loans from the group's rotating fund of VND 9.64 million. On a monthly basis, 20 members of the group meet together to review activities such as saving, lending and collection of interest payment. Furthermore, the group regularly conduct other activities such as information dissemination on new policies and legal documents, productive health and environmental protection. By implementing project sub-components, group members receive

training on crops and livestock production skills and extension. The project also invests in piloting production models such as garden-based chicken raising and hybrid rice intensive cropping for scaling up. As for households with forestry land use, members are provided information and training on land use management and planning, and were issued with land use certificates. As such, their role as forest owners have been promoted, which fosters sustainable natural resources exploitation and utilization. Most members responded that the WSCG have brought about a lot of benefits to their households and communities. In addition to access to credit, members of the group also receive support to improve their management skills, conduct cost-benefit calculation in regard to their family spending, and use credit effectively. In short, RIDP implementation in Ninh Lai has resulted in positive changes in local livelihood, which helps improve the material and spiritual living standard for poor household in rural and remote areas. Thanh Vinh