PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 7 Identifying and tackling poverty: ActionAid's experiences in Vietnam

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 7 Identifying and tackling poverty: ActionAid's experiences in Vietnam Carrie Turk Introduction This paper describes AAV's work to date on the identification of poverty and the programme ActionAid Vietnam (AAV) has been working interventions we have designed as a response. in Mai Son District of Son La Province since 1989. In 1990 AAV conducted RRA and socio- Identifying the poorest economic surveys in which the key problems households identified by the community were falling agricultural production in the uplands and Villagers ranked their fellow villagers resultant food deficits. AAV's response was to according to socio-economic status (as defined develop an agricultural programme in which an by the ranker) using techniques which are now extension service would promote soil widely used by many agencies working in conservation techniques. Agricultural activities Vietnam. AAV had attempted this exercise as began in 1992, and by the end of 1994 there part of the RRA in 1990, but had found were 1069 adopters across the 2633 households. villagers extremely retic ent on the subject of relative wealth and poverty, shy because of the Despite the results of the surveys, AAV felt that continual presence of local officials. Two years ...