P R R; _.._ R: _ix_ WNXo Ir.I.N'X PtA 1'59

# S mm-ria _findings_

Uncei -'ietnamls frrncer co-irand econornv. lack of housch<-d, mtabilt, **estIlred** close communitv and rmilv >mL caticv; **anol** households belo,nged to local cooperativ es that p'rovided or tmhe x'lfaro of their members c-.-eoping a. a , eftectivc system of redistriban' e 'ranxstcrs and s t ns to replace stuch falte-ing local nstirlun-s wvill he irm-crranr if Vietnam1 is to *nake a so x' 'an **tr070** to market econorn.

Van de Wallec uses Vietnam as a case study in rapidlv assessing t'ne srrcngths and wealknesses of an extsLiog s y nt n data ancl ex **post** cvaluations are weak. he rovrd" s a broad quaxlita-ive assessment, identireying key issues nt which knovx-ledge must irmprove.

Vietnani's 3ver7 rrugra uct;on ad safety net r- cAToud iIpre c clds, through a strengthening o institu-ional structures and policies, including: **o** Nanaloa norms for identifing the pour consistentlacross repgots.

_Sn_ 5u- ey and other instrumcnts withkxx bich to consistentlv .measure and'. monitor local needs and arogran' pcr.formnance.

InLegratio'r and c ocrdination between subprograrns, ***O** -irh defmen cno onixc-sal rules _fr_ local W elfare-maximilzing edicstriburion of resources across space so roat evervone is treated equa.lyv egardess of where thee live.

> 6tire resources and auenti n to nelmulpmg households and comrmuni'tes dean with covariate risk.

The government's ncxw Hungcr Fradicatlon and Po verty Redluction Programpri Iarn an effort to coordinate policy efforts and resources to improve the safetv net s performance and cost-effectlveness - could help irprox'c social protection by focusing on these five areas.

I ncreasirg household; mobilvty. xx ithont sx'hich tre rmarket system cannot funcrion, especially dictates a rethinking of the foundation of Vietnam s communityriced assistance and safetx net svsstem. Househo<sup>l</sup> d mobilitc makes it difficult to tarpethe poor and mobiiize cormunity resources c ? help them. Heavy decentralization inhibits Vietnani's abiitvy to providc adequate protection fron covarlare risks tha. are rising because of ennvironmenral destruction. Addressing this problem wvil1 require mnore national risk pooling and overcoming likely political hurd'es to a reallocation of resources to Vietnam's poor and vulnerable.

his pap -a product of Public Economics, Deveoornen-jt Researchl Group **-is** part of a larger eftort in the group to socia. protecnon po icics. Copies of the paper are available free troni the NWnorld Bank 18 i **8,** H Strect NANX Washingt.o, DC 20433. Please counact C. nthia Bernardo, room MC2-501 telephone 202-473-1 48, fax 202-522-1154, Intcrnet ao'Crcss crernardo(Eivxorcdhack.org. The author may be con-acted at dxanuexxaiict'vxul-dbank.org. September i998 (39 _p_ ages)

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