# **Quantitative and qualitative poverty analysis in 1999**

> The original motivation for establishing the PTF sprang from a desire to foster more Government

> ownership of and more donor consensus around a high quality analysis of poverty. Because the Government was about to start drafting some of the key documents in the strategic planning framework, this was a particularly conducive period to be undertaking poverty analysis and building consensus around the findings. During 1997 and 1998 the General Statistics Office had been collecting household data under the Vietnam Living Standards Survey (VLSS) that would allow a robust assessment of trends in poverty and some social outcomes over the 1990s. In addition, four PPAs were carried out to capture the dimensions of poverty that were not well described by the quantitative data representing different regions of the country.

These PPAs were widely circulated and strongly influenced the contents of the final poverty assessment, which was a joint product of the PTF members<sup>2</sup> . Unusually for externally funded participatory research, much of this material has subsequently been used in policy documents or referred to in policy dialogue<sup>3</sup> . This is in contrast to previous attempts by many organizations, particularly international NGOs, to influence Government policy-making through micro-level participatory research. Such research had often been received with some skepticism.

Though it was not foreseen at the time, the PPAs helped to open the door for these community consultations on the I-PRSP. The consultations were held in six locations, including the four PPA sites. This has helped to establish a link between the participatory poverty analysis and the subsequent design of strategy. In these sites, the main thrust of questioning could be captured as: _"Three years ago, this community told us x and y about the causes and dimensions of poverty. The Government of Vietnam proposes the following measures to address this problem. Here- in this community - will these measures provide a solution to the problem?"_ Looking forward, there is an opportunity for those supporting the Government of Vietnam in monitoring the implementation of the CPRGS to build further on these linkages.

# **Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy**

> In July 2000, the Government of Vietnam announced the intention to produce the CPRGS. Acknowledging that this exercise might take some time and require additional analytical work,

> the Government prepared the I-PRSP to forestall delays in concluding negotiations with the IMF and the World Bank on PRGF and PRSC loan arrangements<sup>4</sup> . The I-PRSP was completed in March 2001.The relatively brief preparation period did not allow for consultation with primary

> 2Poverty Task Force (1999), _Vietnam: Attacking Poverty,_ Joint Report of the Government of Vietnam, Donor, NGO Poverty Working Group presented to the Consultative Group Meeting for Vietnam, December 1999.

> 3 Turk, C. (2001), _Linking participatory poverty assessments to policy and policymaking: experience from Vietnam;_

> In Norton, A. (2000) A rough guide to PPA's (Participatory Poverty Assessment); an introduction to theory and practice, ODI, London.

> The Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) and Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC) are lending instruments of the IMF (PRGF) and the World Bank (PRSC). Approval of these loans by the Boards of the IMF and World Bank requires prior Board discussion of a poverty reduction strategy prepared by the Government requesting the loan.

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