IFAD Funds $22 Million for Poverty Alleviation in North Vietnam

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide Vietnam an aid package of $22 million for poverty alleviation in the mountainous northern province of Ha Giang. Under the pact signed by IFAD’s President Kanayo F. Nwanze and Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long in Rome on Nov 25, the project is aimed at helping locals improve farming techniques and apply climate change adaptive technologies to boost their incomes. Around 30,000 poor households in the districts of Bac Quang, Hoang Su Phi, Quang Binh, Vi Xuyen and Xin Man will benefit from the funding. IFAD president Kanayo F. Nwanze said at the signing ceremony that the agency will support Vietnam in launching more projects in the future. The IFAD has provided a total of $283.4 million for 10 major poverty alleviation projects in Vietnam to benefit 539,270 households. (Dai Bieu Nhan Dan – People’s Deputy Nov 27 p2, www.bernama.com Nov 27)