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Tag: poverty alleviation

FG, UAE to partner Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Support Programmes
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The United Arab Emirates has indicated readiness to support Nigerian Government’s efforts at reducing the humanitarian crises as well as eradicate poverty in Nigeria by 2030, which is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
UAE’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al- Shamsi made this known when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu paid him a visit in his office.
The Envoy who described Nigeria”my country” said that he is very committed to Nigeria because he is representing the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.
He said,” Nigerians are the nicest people I have ever met”
He promised to convey the request to support the federal government initiative in tackling hunger, poverty, and humanitarian challenges facing the country to the necessary authorities, assuring that the partnership will work.”
Al- Shamsi used the visit to invite Edu to attend the UN Climate Change Cop 28 to be hosted by the Government of the UAE, as he said that the meeting will bring together world leaders committed to tackle issue around climate change which has led to natural disasters and exposed many to humanitarian crises and poverty.
The Minister explained that her visit to the Ambassador was a follow-up to the discussion had with the UAE Government at the UNGA meeting.
She noted that the Nigeria – UAE bilateral cooperation has made the two countries recognize their areas of common comparative advantages.
According to the Minister, climate change is one of the factors responsible for the humanitarian and poverty crisis in Nigeria, culminating in floods, drying up of the lake chad basin and other natural disasters associated with climate change, adding that many Nigerians have been displaced and have lost their source of livelihood resulting in humanitarian crises and pFG, UAE to partner Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Support Programmes
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The United Arab Emirates has indicated readiness to support Nigerian Government’s efforts at reducing the humanitarian crises as well as eradicate poverty in Nigeria by 2030, which is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
UAE’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al- Shamsi made this known when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu paid him a visit in his office.
The Envoy who described Nigeria”my country” said that he is very committed to Nigeria because he is representing the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.
He said,” Nigerians are the nicest people I have ever met”
He promised to convey the request to support the federal government initiative in tackling hunger, poverty, and humanitarian challenges facing the country to the necessary authorities, assuring that the partnership will work.”
Al- Shamsi used the visit to invite Edu to attend the UN Climate Change Cop 28 to be hosted by the Government of the UAE, as he said that the meeting will bring together world leaders committed to tackle issue around climate change which has led to natural disasters and exposed many to humanitarian crises and poverty.
The Minister explained that her visit to the Ambassador was a follow-up to the discussion had with the UAE Government at the UNGA meeting.
She noted that the Nigeria – UAE bilateral cooperation has made the two countries recognize their areas of common comparative advantages.
According to the Minister, climate change is one of the factors responsible for the humanitarian and poverty crisis in Nigeria, culminating in floods, drying up of the lake chad basin and other natural disasters associated with climate change, adding that many Nigerians have been displaced and have lost their source of livelihood resulting in humanitarian crises and poverty.
Edu assured the Ambassador that she would be part of President Bola Tinubu’s team to attend the Cop 28 which will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.
“Climate change is one of the factors responsible for Humanitarian Crises and multiculti-dimensionality poverty in Nigeria. This is evident from temperature increase, rainfall variability, drought, desertification, rising sea levels, erosion, floods, thunderstorms, bushfires, landslides, land degradation, more frequent, extreme weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity as well as drying of the Lake chad basin by climate change”, she said
All these factors according to Dr. Edu, stressed continue to negatively affect on the population, as she disclosed that President Tinubu is committed to addressing this and the UAE should support.overty.
Edu assured the Ambassador that she would be part of President Bola Tinubu’s team to attend the Cop 28 which will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.
“Climate change is one of the factors responsible for Humanitarian Crises and multiculti-dimensionality poverty in Nigeria. This is evident from temperature increase, rainfall variability, drought, desertification, rising sea levels, erosion, floods, thunderstorms, bushfires, landslides, land degradation, more frequent, extreme weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity as well as drying of the Lake chad basin by climate change”, she said
All these factors according to Dr. Edu, stressed continue to negatively affect on the population, as she disclosed that President Tinubu is committed to addressing this and the UAE should support.
October 1, 2023
High Ovations As Correspondents’ Chapel Honours Philanthropist Onoja In Kogi
From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
It was a high Ovations as the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kogi State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), honoured a philanthropist, Ambassador David Enemona Onoja for his poverty alleviation services to humanity.
The Chairman of Kogi state Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ, Comrade Friday Idachaba in his remarks called on well to do Nigerians to emulate Ambassador Gabriel David Onoja’s humanitarian gesture in touching the lives of the less privileged ones in the society.
Comrade Idachaba made the call while speaking during the Civic Reception/Award Dinner organized by the union in recognition of Ambassador Gabriel David Onoja for his philanthropic feats in Kogi and beyond.
Hel noted that Gabriel David Onoja through his “Enemona Foundation” had extended his humanitarian charity to students, the vulnerable, the poor, widows, physically challenged, children and organisations among others.
Comrade Idachaba who prayed for God’s guidance in support of Gabriel Onoja’s humanitarian services to his immediate community, assured that Correspondents of various national newspapers practicing in the state would give adequate publicity to elevate his activities in Kogi and Nigeria at large.
The Chairman maintained that it is good to give honour to whom it is due and charged his members not to relent in embracing developmental journalism such as charity work embarked upon by patriotic Nigerians like Ambassador Gabriel David Onoja.
The Chairman of Kogi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh who also spoke at the event, commended Ambassador Gabriel David Onoja for his passion to come to the plight of the downtrodden.
He described the reward of giving especially to the less privileged as enormous and advised Nigerians to embrace generosity and love of one another.
Momoh-Jimoh then tasked journalists in Kogi to play their complementary role of publicising the good works of some spirited individuals like Ambassador Gabriel David Onoja which according to him would stimulate others to emulate
Responding, Ambassador Gabriel David Enemona Onoja appreciated the honour done him assuring that it will spur him to do more.
He expressed his readiness to continue to partner with the media in his humanitarian services to the needy in the society.
March 20, 2022
FG’s Goal To Lift 20m Nigerians Out Of Poverty In Two Years Now Within Reach – Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has said that the Federal Government’s vision to lift at least 20 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next two years is now within reach.
Professor Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the virtual flag-off of the cash transfer scheme, called the Rapid Response Register (RRR), to be facilitated through a wholly technology-based approach.
This followed the successful activation of the Economic Sustainability Plan’s (ESP) Cash Transfer scheme aimed at delivering financial support to at least 1 million urban-based households.
According to the Vice President, RRR is a means by which the urban poor and vulnerable population can be speedily identified using geographic satellite technology and other related means for the purposes of delivering cash to households affected by the fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“The groundbreaking success of the RRR, now emboldens us to achieve our aspiration of a social security programme for a minimum of twenty million Nigerians in the next two years. This will be the largest of its kind on the continent. This (aspiration) is, at least from the perspective of this tested approach, now well within our reach,” a statement by the Vice President’s aide, Laolu Akande quoted him as saying.
“The only constraint, of course, is the funding which we must look for because, this country deserves a social security scheme that will not merely alleviate poverty but also create wealth for the millions of those who are waiting for this opportunity.
“Our government launched the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) in 2017 to provide the framework for institutionalizing the work we started since 2016 on reducing extreme poverty in Nigeria, based on our administration’s vision to create a comprehensive social security programme for the poor and vulnerable and thereafter the pledge to lift 100 million Nigerian’s out of poverty in ten years.”
The Vice President maintained that the launch of the (RRR) social protection method of targeting, which is the first strategy to be developed and tested in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, would enable Nigeria tackle poverty in a more systematic manner, leveraging technology to expand the scope of the interventions.
“As of 31st December 2020, we have identified and registered about 24.3 million poor and vulnerable individuals into the National Social Register; equivalent to about 5.7 million households. Through this project, we are currently injecting about N10 Billion directly into the hands of about 2 million poor and vulnerable people every month,” the Vice President said.
“This is about the largest evidence-based effort by any administration on poverty reduction and its impact on the lives of the poor is huge; by way of improving the livelihoods of the beneficiaries through enhanced household purchasing power; smoothening consumption; increasing savings and acquisition of household assets; and improving the local economy. There are many more ramifications.”
Earlier in her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, said the initiative would provide a gateway to other important government programmes, adding that Nigeria now has a database for impact tracking and the expansion of social interventions and related programmes, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of extending financial support to more Nigerians.
She said: “By design, this register links to other databases such as banking information of respondents and national identity numbers. It is also a process that is advanced in unifying national databank towards the delivery of social development in Nigeria. There is no doubt that in future, as has been demonstrated in the previous presentation, we would be reverting to the process used here and the register itself, to aid emergency assistance”.
On his part, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Subham Chaudhuri commended the Federal Government for the initiative, noting that it as a critical component in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While pledging the support of the World Bank for the project, Mr Chaudhuri emphasized the need for stakeholders to remain transparent in the selection and disbursement of the funds to the beneficiaries.
About 3,115 households received alerts of payments instantly at the flag-off of the project by the Vice President.
A total of 1 million households would be impacted directly under the scheme in the next 6 months.
The Cash Transfer scheme which is part of the ESP is designed to build a shock responsive framework for capturing and registering the urban poor and vulnerable populations across Nigeria. The RRR focuses mainly on the urban poor wards selected using scientifically validated methods of satellite remote sensing technology, machine learning algorithm and big data analysis.
Also present at the event were the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige; the representative of the European Union (EU) mission in Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karlsen, among others.
January 20, 2021
Omo Agege, FOSSCIMA, Diete Spiff canvasses support for FG poverty alleviation programmes
By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, Chairman Bayelsa Council of Traditional Rulers, Alfred Diete-Spiff and the Forum of South South Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines And Agriculture, (FOSSCIMA) has called on Nigerians to support the Federal Government poverty alleviation programmes.
They made this known yesterday at the 2nd Annual General Meeting of the Coalition Of South-South Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines And Agriculture (FOSSCIMA) and investiture of Dr. Okon Emah as the 3rd President of the organization.
Omo-Agege who was represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Mr. Godwin Anawghe while Congratulating the incoming President of FOSSCCIMA, Dr. Okon Emmah and outgoing, called on the organization to join President Buhari in his lofty programs plans to lift over 100 millions of Nigerian out of poverty.
According to him, “today, of the estimated population of over 200 million people in Nigeria, a significant segment of the population is living in poverty. According to the World Poverty Clock which provides real-time estimates through 2030 in nearly every country in the world, the number of extremely poor Nigerians could be as high as 125 million in the year 2030 if we do nothing.
“You will agree with me that we must stem this ugly scenario. President Muhammadu Buhari is leading the way by committing to implementing programs to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over the next 10 years.
“Achieving this lofty goal would require sustained economic growth rates at levels higher than current economic and population growth rates.” He said.
Earlier, the President of UYOCCIMA, the host organization, Mr Nseyen Ebong said that with unity, FOCCIMMA could be a strong and potent economic regional force to reckon with in Nigeria.
He recalled that in the federal allocation account on monthly basis, four of the south-south states top the chart.
“If we can convert this financial benefit into an economic benefit it will be to the benefit of government and the people of the south-south states.
” I was one of the first people that was an approach to present a paper during the first BRACED economic forum at Tinapa Resort in Calabar but I decline for obvious reason and informed the organizers that I did not see the unity between the southern states when they were fighting each other over oil well.” He said.
Similarly, the former Governor of old Rivers State and Chairman, Bayelsa Council of Traditional Rulers, King Alfred Diete-Spiff admonished the leadership of the organization to see the association as the mouthpiece of the private sector by collaborating with the different state governors in the South-South Region towards the interest of the private sector.
The high point of the event was the investiture of Dr. Okon Emah as the 3rd Regional President of FOSSCCIMA who in his acceptance speech pledged to develop an effective strategy for economic emancipation of the South-South region and seek collaboration from governors in the region to develop small and medium-scale businesses.
October 19, 2020
A remote village reflects China’s achievements in poverty alleviation
Yuanxin village had suffered poverty for a long time. Located in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, it used to be labeled as a national-level poverty-stricken village.
The ordinary village seemed to have nothing special that could serve its development, such as mines or tourist attractions. But as Yuanxin has become a model of poverty alleviation work, the story of how such a village could escape poverty has been reported across China.
Two years ago, Zhang Hua, graduated with a PhD in agrology from Beijing Forestry University, became the first secretary of the Party committee of the village. Zhang was dispatched by the university to aid Inner Mongolia’s poverty reduction efforts.
The young secretary said he was not trusted by villagers at first, but that he believes that tangible actions could win trust. Zhang led the village to renovate roads that were in poor condition, and prevent insects from damaging crops.
Yuanxin began to develop “black agriculture” – farming black sticky corn. The corn was sold in Beijing with the brand “Yuanxin,” which became very popular. The output value of growing corn tripled.
By the end of 2018, the last 44 people from 21 households had gotten rid of poverty in Yuanxin.
It wasn’t just farmers that benefited from the policy.
Sun Cai, 54, has run a shop in Yuanxin for 20 years. The shop was in a shabby shed before last year when he built a house and transformed his small shop into a supermarket covering 365 square meters. During the epidemic, Sun donated ramen, masks and bottled water to help others in the village.
“Previously, villagers liked to pay on credit, and many times I could not have the money in the end,” Sun told the Global Times. “Now everybody uses cash, because everybody has practical means to make a living.”
Sun is considering building a storage facility to further enlarge his supermarket.
Yuanxin’s success in poverty alleviation is reflective of China’s on-going campaign to eliminate poverty.
Through targeted measures, aid mechanisms, the fostering of e-commerce and tourism industries, relocation, and the dispatching of officials to poverty-stricken villages, China has achieved profound results in reducing poverty and is determined to eradicate absolute poverty this year despite challenges, said officials.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in late 2012, the country has achieved significant progress in poverty reduction, with over 93 million rural people lifted out of poverty over seven years, Xinhua News Agency reported.
China had basically completed relocation programs for poverty-alleviation purposes by the end of July, the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development said in early August.
Despite the adverse impact caused by COVID-19, China has steadily pushed ahead with efforts to fight poverty in the first half of the year. A total of 2.85 million people in 52 key poverty-stricken counties have returned to work, and 22 provincial-level regions in central and west China have relocated around 4.79 million poor people through creating public welfare jobs, showed data from the office.
Some 428,400 poverty-relief projects in these regions have started operating, and 30,443 poverty-relief workshops have resumed.
Source: Global Times
August 20, 2020
China’s poverty alleviation mission is a historic achievement
Robert Lawrence Kuhn
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected China’s long-standing goal of eradicating all extreme poverty by the end of 2020?
It was no surprise that the whole-of-country commitment to contain the pandemic, which had remarkable success,disrupted the economy and diverted attention from everything else, including from poverty alleviation. Transportation was interrupted. Some farmers could not return to their lands for the planting season. Rural migrant workers could not return to their jobs.The development of rural industry, such as breeding and processing, was retarded. Sales of agricultural products were depressed.
In addition, healthcare issues and economic distress made some new people become poor and some formerly poor people fell back into poverty. Moreover, local officials were understandably distracted from fighting poverty to fighting COVID-19— and still they worry about sporadic outbreaks or second waves.
Though obstacles are being surmounted, with the time lost and the economy hurt, the Chinese government would have ample reason to postpone the poverty-eradication target date beyond 2020. Everyone would understand a delay. No one would cast blame.
But, on March 6, at a large-scale virtual symposium on poverty alleviation, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a clarion call that the goal to lift all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty by 2020 must be realized as scheduled. He called the goal a “solemn pledge” made by the Party to the people.
To appreciate President Xi’s driving motivation, one must understand the context of this special year, 2020, the long-set target date for ushering in the “moderately prosperous society” — which is the first of the two great centenary goals that compose what President calls “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”.
The original formulation of the “moderately prosperous society” defined it in quantitatively precise terms: doubling of the 2010 GDP per capita by 2020. President Xi enhanced this definition by asserting that China could not claim to be a “moderately prosperous society”, no matter how high its GDP per capita, if even one Chinese citizen remained in absolute or extreme poverty. It was a powerful prescription that rang true and set national policy.
Therefore, the “moderately prosperous society” cannot be achieved in 2020 unless all extreme poverty is eradicated by the end of the year. This is what has intensified the final push, made more challenging, of course, by the pandemic.
In Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s Work Report of the Government, presented in the opening session of the delayed National People’s Congress, he prioritized stabilizing employment and ensuring living standards, and winning the battle against poverty by eradicating poverty among all rural residents and in all poor counties.
Specific measures include: boosting consumption of products from poor areas; supporting businesses involved in poverty alleviation; ensuring rural migrant workers from poor areas have stable jobs; chartering trains to take migrant workers back to their urban jobs; providing follow-up support to people relocated from inhospitable areas; and deepening collaboration on poverty alleviation between eastern and western regions.
Looking to the future, the government called for monitoring and assisting people who fall back into poverty and for promoting rural vitalization to help people who have risen out of poverty move toward prosperity. A poverty reduction survey will be conducted nationwide to quantify results and identify issues, especially in guarding against fraud.
I consider the pandemic as a kind of “stress test” of the poverty alleviation system. Difficulties sharpen distinctions between what works and what does not, whom you can depend on and whom you cannot.
A concern: When officials are pressured to meet their firm objectives in a compressed period of time, some may cut corners or fudge numbers.I applaud the State Council’s Poverty Alleviation Office for its independent checking and inspecting, avowing that if there is any false reports or fraud, officials will be held accountable and dealt with seriously, so that the results of poverty alleviation can stand the test of history and the people. The greater the transparency of government, the greater the confidence in government.
At this sensitive time in international communications, I find that China’s poverty alleviation campaign is the single most powerful story to undermine foreign stereotypes and biases about China. When I tell the story of China’s poverty alleviation — offering my first hand accounts, having myself traveled in the poorest areas of the country and witnessed the process in action — up close and personal — many foreigners are surprised to learn that China as a country, and President Xi as its leader, have made poverty alleviation of highest national importance.
What I stress at this time, when the world is so focused on the coronavirus— and recognizes how China has contained the pandemic through rigorous and lockdowns and strict procedures — is that the Party-led system that was successful in containing the coronavirus is the same Party-led system that is eradicating extreme poverty.
So, what can the world learn from China’ success in poverty alleviation? First, each country is different. Each culture has a different history, culture, nature of its people. We cannot take programs from one country and impose them on another country.
However, the principles are what’s important. And China’s principles of poverty alleviation are clear. Number one is the absolute commitment of the leadership of the country. President Xi has said, “I have spent more energy on poverty alleviation than on anything else.” This sends a powerful message to officials at all levels, indeed to the entire country.
So,this is the first lesson to learn: the senior leader of the country needs to make the overall mission of poverty alleviation a priority.
We think of poverty programs in terms of measures, mechanisms and procedures. And indeed, China has pioneered micro businesses, education, relocating whole villages, eco-compensation, and social security. These can be adapted to other countries, as can the Party-led organizational system of implementing poverty alleviation through “five levels” of local government (provincial, municipal, county, township, village).
But what’s critically important for all countries to recognize in the fight against poverty is the critical importance of motivating officials to make poverty alleviation a priority. This can come only from the top down. This is the big lesson that China shows the world.
China’s poverty alleviation mission, lifting some 900 million people out of poverty, is a historic achievement, to be remembered for the ages.
（ Robert Lawrence Kuhn is a recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal）
July 31, 2020
Migrant worker returns to home town, runs eco-friendly farm and contributes to poverty alleviation
By Wang Yongzhan, People’s Daily

“We have 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) of grapevines and 240 mu of kiwi fruit trees in our farm. All these fruit trees and our ducks on the farm have followed a circular agricultural development model thatcombines poultry, marsh gas, and fruit or vegetables,” a brown middle-aged Chinese man said in a sonorous voice to a group of visitors, introducing to them his special family farm.

After the brief introduction, these guests flocked to the central part of the farm, where grapevines and kiwi fruit trees with luxuriant foliage are flourishing in the high summer.

The middle-aged man is Zhang Yuanchao, operator of the eco-friendly family farm in Hongxing village, Longmentownship, Lushan county, Ya’an, southwest China’s Sichuan province.

“I can both learn skills and make money here, and everybody is assured working here,” said Yang Guomin who works for the farm.

“My job here rid me of poverty,” said Li Song, who has worked on the farm for seven years and knows very well about Zhang’s story of the farm business.

Zhang was once a migrant worker trying to make a living in many Chinese cities including northeast China’s Shenyang and southwest China’s Chengdu before 2006. He had often struggled just to make ends meet at that time.

In 2007, Zhang learnt that raising ducks might be a good opportunity, as there’s less competition in the industry and the local governmentalso provided ducklings and technical training.

However, after deciding to return to his hometown to set up his own duckery, Zhang found it difficult to have an appropriate site.

Zhang reported his problem to the government of Longmentownship and the Communist Party of China (CPC) Longmen township committee, and got six mu of land for his new business through transfer of land contract and management rights with the help of local authorities.

Since Zhang was new to the business, the Party chief of Hongxing village introduced him to duck breeding specialists and helped establish a “development alliance” under which the specialists handle the technical part of the business, and Zhang takes charge of the management and duckery maintenance.

As the number of ducklings kept in the duckery grew, Zhang’s income increased too. He was soon referred to as“the guy who has earned more than 10,000 yuan ($1,428)” by his fellow villagers.

Unfortunately, an unforeseen catastrophe ruined Zhang’s business. Because of a violent earthquake that hit Lushan county on April 20, 2013, the duckery Zhang had spent painstaking efforts on for years was completely destroyed. The duck shed collapsed and all the ducks died in the disaster, making Zhang rather dispirited.

When he was ready to work outside his hometown as a migrant worker again to repay his debts, the local government came to help him start over.

Thanks to the help of local authorities, who helped Zhang rebuild the duckery, apply for loans and industrial support funds, and expand marketing channels, the duckery was brought back to life and started to make profit within two years.

However, as the number of ducks increases continuously, Zhang was faced with a new challenge – the disposal of the ducks’ droppings.

As Zhang was trying to figure out a solution to the problem, he heard that the local government was encouraging eligible people to develop crop farming through land transfer. So he contracted theland near his duckery, and started planting grapes and kiwi fruits, which, together with the duckery, later became his eco-friendly farm.

The experience-oriented farm combines sightseeing with sales and adopts a dual-model featuring both fruit cultivation and poultry breeding. It earned Zhang over 300,000 yuan in its first year, gaining Zhang a new nickname as “Millionaire Zhang.”

In 2015, Zhang joined the CPC and became a member of the Party committee of Hongxing village.

“Seeing the folks in my village were still suffering from poverty, I drafted a systematic plan to help them,” Zhang said, adding that his farm has provided more than 50 jobs for his fellow villagers while expanding its business.

“More than 30 impoverished villagers like me are working for the farm, making over 3,000 yuan each month,” Li told People’s Daily.

July 17, 2020
Shache county in Xinjiang implements targeted poverty alleviation measures
By Yang Mingfang, Li Yanan, Han Liqun, People’s Daily
A farmer watering tomato seedlings in his vegetable field while marigold flowers he planted in spring blooming nearby– that is a scene observed in Kuoshiwusitang village, Shache county,KashgarPrefecture in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Wiping away his sweat, the impoverished man named QadirYasengreeted AyshemgulTulapu, a government officialin the township, saying that it’s not a problem that every mu, or 0.067 hectares, of tomatoes will generate an income of around 3,000 yuan ($425) as the tomato seedlings grow well.
Shachecounty has intensified poverty alleviation since the start of this year.
Not long ago, when Ayshemgul visited Qadir’s home, the officialfound that the villager was hesitating about whether to grow tomatoes or marigolds.
“This year, the village has organized seedling cultivation in greenhouses and invited agricultural technicians to instruct villagers.The village will also provide free seedlings for you according to poverty relief policies and help you sell your products,”Ayshemgul said, adding that subsidies will be offered if he has a bad harvest.
“Then I will plant about 0.13 hectares of marigolds and tomatoes, respectively,”Qadir showed his determination.
More than one month later, Qadir found that it’s not difficult to plant crops he had never growndespitea bit more complicated management.
“I will surely shake off poverty this year,”Qadir said, noting that he will buy seedlings himself next year instead of getting them for free.
Shache county faces challenges in poverty alleviation due to a large poor population. By the end of 2019, there were 173 poverty-stricken villages, 10,323 impoverished households, and 35,446 poor people in the county, accounting for one-third, one-fourth and one-fifth of the total in Xinjiang, respectively.
“We have pledgedto ensure that all impoverished people will be lifted out of poverty as scheduled by implementing a targeted poverty alleviation strategy of ‘one plan for one village, and one measure for one household,’” said Fan Baojun, Party chief of the county, noting that each household will have more to expect in the future.
Shache has organized civil servants at all levels to provide pairing assistance forregistered impoverished households. Capable and experienced officials in the county have offered pairing assistance to over 10,000 impoverished households.
For the households that have already been lifted out of poverty, the county required responsibleofficials tocheck risks of their relapsing into poverty with the help of a local poverty alleviation big data platform.
NurnisaSadiq, a farmer in Lan’gan village, Yakaairiketownshipof the county, collected the second batch of spinach not long ago, and the newly transplanted onion seedlings have survived.
“I can harvest batches of vegetables in one year, and needn’t worry aboutsales as enterprises will collect my vegetables,” he said. The officialdesignated for lifting his household out of poverty has not only helped Nurnisa adjust the farming pattern, but also supported himin running a small shop. Besides, his son is an auxiliary police officer, which means that all three members with the ability to work in his family have something to do.
“Targeted assistance means that we need to formulate a poverty alleviation plan tailored for each household andoffer appropriate solutions based on individual conditions,” said Xing Baoxin, head of Shache’sorganization department.
Xing is responsible for poverty alleviation in three villages in the county. When he visited in TuowantuoKamurikevillage, MemetTursun, an impoverished villager, asked him for help as he wanted to apply for a 50,000-yuan ($7077) loan to raise cattle.
Xing asked the farmer whether he had ever raised cattle and mastered relevant skills and could repay the loan on time.
Feeling that Memetwas a little discouraged, Xing said,“I remember that you can do electrical work, so you can find a job at a nearby market first as it is recruiting electricians.”The official then advised the impoverished man toconsider raising cattle after learning breeding techniques in his spare time.
Memetagreed to the suggestionand secured the job the next day which pays him 2,500 yuan($354) per month. Later, Xing bought him 100 squabs.
“It’s easier and it costs less to raise pigeons than cattle. I can surely get rid of poverty this year,”Memetsaid with more confidence.
June 11, 2020
Hubei injects financial support to poverty alleviation
By Ma Yuan, People’s Daily
Central China’s Hubei province has helped impoverished rural households develop pillar
industries and increase income by offering financial support such as micro and small loans,
organizing enterprises to set up online platforms, and improving the rural credit platform.
Cai Guangmei from Caifanggou village, Danjiangkou of Hubei province runs a poultry farm that
houses 1,500 chickens, an orange orchard covering 26.67 hectares, and 3.33 hectares of pumpkin
patches. His farming business is prospering.
However, an orange orchard was the only source of income for Cai’s family three years ago. Cai
wanted to open a poultry farm but suffered from the lack of capital.
In June 2017, the Hubei Rural Credit Cooperatives lent 100,000 yuan ($14,200) to Cai with
discounted interest rate. With the money, Cai implemented the project and established and
expanded his farming business gradually. Now, the annual net income of his family has reached
150,000 yuan.
Like Cai, Xue Yong from Gucheng county, is also among the many farmers benefiting from
financial targeted poverty alleviation in Hubei.
The story of Xue getting rid of poverty and becoming better off has surprised his fellow villagers,
as the man with cerebral palsy used to struggle to make ends meet via chicken farming. In August
2016, his family was thrown into a more desperate condition because it faced a 40,000-yuan
tuition fee of his sister who was then admitted by a university.
After learning Xue’s situation and knowing that his condition met the standards for poverty
alleviation loan issuance, the Hubei Rural Credit Cooperative immediately lent him 80,000 yuan.
After paying the tuition fees for his sister, Xue used the rest of the money to develop his poultry
business.
Now, Xue’s chicken farm houses more than 3,000 chicks. Via e-commerce platforms, he could sell
over 100 chickens and several thousand eggs per month and make 80,000 yuan each year. He has
also become a famous chicken farming and diseases specialist in his hometown.
By the end of September 2019, the Hubei Rural Credit Cooperatives had provided financial
services for 1.21 million impoverished households and issued a total of 17 billion yuan in micro-
credit loans, helping 300,000 impoverished households increase income directly or indirectly.
Financial targeted poverty alleviation offers not just timely help; it should make the assistance
regular so as to facilitate long-term economic development. By focusing on areas of weakness in
social and economic development of impoverished regions, China Construction Bank (CCB)
Hubei branch introduced resources, capital, technologies and solutions to poor regions. The
practice has turned impoverished regions from recipients of “blood transfusion” into ones capable
of “blood creation”.
Zhu Yanyang, deputy governor of CCB Hubei branch, introduced that the bank had issued more
than 10 billion yuan of targeted poverty alleviation loans to 107,637 registered impoverished
households, and offered pairing financial assistance to 126 impoverished villages.
Sweet potato farming is a pillar industry for poverty alleviation in Hong’an county, Huanggang.
Through developing dried sweet potato noodles, local food companies built sweet potato and
wheat planting bases and signed long-term supply contracts with local farmers, forming a
partnership among enterprises, planting bases, cooperatives and local villagers.
Financial institutions play an important role in supporting the continuous development of poverty
alleviation projects launched by enterprises. In recent years, the Postal Savings Bank of China
(PSBC) Hubei branch has enlarged loan support to characteristic industries and poverty alleviation
projects in impoverished areas, said Deng Jianhua, deputy governor of PSBC Hubei branch.
The branch has issued loans worth nearly 10 billion yuan for targeted poverty alleviation, helping
more than 50,000 impoverished households get rid of poverty and become better off, Deng added.
While funding poverty alleviation projects, the PSBC Hubei branch has spread financial
knowledge to impoverished areas. It sent grassroot credit clerks to villages to publicize financial
knowledge in a targeted manner, which has effectively helped impoverished people increase their
financial literacy and get rich. The bank has also accelerated construction of the credit system in
impoverished areas, helping form a positive scenario in which a good credit score enables the
borrowers get more loans from the bank for developing industries.
April 15, 2020