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Poor rural people manage vast areas of land and forest. They have the potential to be important players in protecting natural resources and providing important environmental services. An IFAD-supported project has helped build momentum and public interest in rewards for environmental services and has developed ways to offer incentives to poor farmers who protect ecosystems at the national level in China, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines and Viet Nam.

Two years ago, in 2005, Giang Thi Hoa, 41, and her husband, Li Mi Na, 54, decided to leave their home in the mountains of Meo Vac district, Viet Nam, in search of a better life for themselves and their four children. In the mountains, the family lived in extreme poverty

In flood times, these centres are crucial. One of the main reasons for the high rate of drowning amongst children, is that they are left unsupervised at home while their parents go away in search of food and income. UNICEF has been providing support for these emergency day care centres for the past three years. Kits on flood prevention and awareness, toys and games and training for the teachers are also provided. The centres have proved so popular that many have continued to operate outside of the flood season. Their presence is acknowledged as one of the key reasons for the reduction in the number of children drowning from 300 in 2001 to 148 in 2002.

The township of Mong Cai in Quang Ninh province, Viet Nam, is located on the banks of the beautiful Ka Long River and shares a 33 kilometre border with the huge Chinese province of Guangxi. Following the border hostilities between China and Viet Nam in 1979, the township was destroyed, but since relations between the two countries were normalized in 1991, trade at the border has flourished. The busy Mong Cai market sells many Chinese goods such as specialty fabrics, ready-made clothes, sandals, mosquito nets, electronics, toys, candies and fruits. Vietnamese goods sold to China are mainly seafood, tea, coffee and sesame. 

The year-long drought destroyed one-tenth of the winter-spring rice crop in 2005, and stopped the planting of the summer-autumn rice crop in some areas. Over half a million people are suffering food shortages, and this will increase if the drought continues in 2006.

The fishermen of Duyen Hai district have been faced with a drastically decreasing number of fish in their waters over the past ten years, leaving many of them in debt. Oxfam works with the Duyen Hai District Peoples’ Committee and farmers and fishers to set up mussel clubs and work with villagers to raise and provide loans for families who join the club.