This document discusses a program called the Developing Business with the Rural Poor Programme (DBRP) in Ben Tre, Vietnam. The program aims to reduce poverty in rural Ben Tre province by helping farmers increase incomes, providing job opportunities for poorer and landless people, and making enterprises more efficient. It will target small landholders, landless laborers, and women. The program will improve the business environment, provide rural business services, develop sustainable value chains, increase market access for the poor, and support program management. The total cost is estimated at $24.2 million from sources including IFAD loans and investments from private sector, beneficiaries, and the Vietnamese government. The program expects to benefit over 44,400 families in Ben Tre province

1. VIETNAM
Enabling poor rural people
to overcome poverty
Developing Business with the
Rural Poor Programme (DBRP)
Ben Tre
Coconut processing creates employment for poor women in Ben Tre.
Programme Rationale
Ben Tre is one of 13 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta. Agriculture, aquaculture and
forestry account for more than half of the province’s total production. Annual income per person
in 2005 was equivalent to USD 473 and it remains the third poorest of all provinces in the
Delta. The rural people of Ben Tre lack affordable land, expertise in production and marketing,
access to credit for investment, information on commodity markets, vocational training and
employment opportunities.
Programme Objectives
The goal is a sustainable reduction in rural poverty in Ben Tre province. Farmers would earn
higher incomes from their farms; poorer and landless people would also earn more; and
enterprises along value chains would become more efficient and profitable.
Programme Area and Target Group
The Programme covers seven districts in Ben Tre. Communes within these districts would
have the highest incidence of poverty, as measured by the Province Departments of Labour,
Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA). Better off communes would be included if market linkages
with the poorer communes were required to achieve an impact on poverty reduction, or the
capacity of the commune cadre is high enough to ensure success in the first year and achieve
a demonstrative effect for other communes.
International The target groups are: (i) rural households with small land holdings and limited productive
Fund for assets; (ii) landless labourers; and (iii) women.
Agricultural
Development IFAD VIETNAM >> DDRP Ben Tre >> 1

2. Programme Strategy
Enabling poor rural people The targeting principles are: (i) geographic targeting; (ii) design of sub-components and
to overcome poverty selection of activities which are highly relevant to the marketing problems of the poorer; and (iii)
ensuring access of the poorer to services and to the wider range of opportunities which they
will create. Specific considerations would be made to ensure that programme activities reach
women and ethnic minorities.
The primary challenge in Ben Tre is to encourage broader commercial orientation, and
increase investment in diversified farm product value chains that meet the needs of emerging
markets.
Programme Components
• Improving the business and investment environment.
• Rural business development services.
• Creating sustainable, competitive value chains that respond to consumer demand.
• Increase market access and participation for the rural poor.
• Programme management with efficient coordination structures.
Programme Cost and Financing
Total costs for the programme are estimated at USD 24.188 million (VND 410.996 million).
Costs are spread as follows: IFAD: USD 17.7 million (loan), VBARD: USD 1 million, Private
sector investors, beneficiaries and co-financiers: USD1.7 million, The Government of Vietnam
(GoVN): USD 2.6 million (this would be in the form of duties and taxes either foregone or to be
returned to province and national revenue agencies).
Benefits and Impact
The main beneficiaries are rural poor people whose incomes and employment levels would
increase as current enterprises are improved and new enterprises are added. The Programme
would benefit others along value chains with commercial links to farmers and other enterprises.
More than 44,400 Ben Tre families should benefit in some way.
Contact details
Atsuko Toda
Country Programme Manager
Asia and Pacific Division
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Unit 304, UN Apartment Building
2E Van Phuc, Kim Ma Str, Ha Noi, Vietnam
Tel: 0084- (4) 3823 7231; Fax: + 84 (4) 3823 3819
Email: at.toda@ifad.org
Skype: atsuko.toda
Website: www.ifad.org.vn
International
Fund for
Agricultural
Development IFAD VIETNAM >> DDRP Ben Tre >> 2