Case Study of Targeted Poverty Alleviation in 100 Villages in China: General Report (International Research on Poverty Reduction)

This book is the general report of the targeted poverty alleviation and elimination project of 100 villages, presenting the overall progress of poverty alleviation and development of all sample villages in the tide of poverty alleviation. From 2016 to 2018, the project selected 104 poor villages (including those out of poverty) across the country to carry out national research and recorded the great changes in more than 100 poor villages in recent years with steps, nib and lens. Based on questionnaire survey data and data from village research reports, the book describes the basic village situation, poverty situation, village-level poverty management and assistance measures, causes of poverty and assistance measures, progress and results of targeted poverty alleviation in 100 poor villages across China since 2016. Foreword: Further Cementing Progress in Poverty Alleviation during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period—Some Reflections Preface Summary Contents Part I Main Reports 1 Endogenous Development: The Perspective of Poverty Elimination in Poor Villages 1.1 Eliminating Poverty and Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects 1.2 Implementation of Case Studies of Targeted Poverty Alleviation in 100 Village Survey 1.3 Main Research Theme: Endogenous Development of Poverty-Stricken Villages 1.4 Sources and Sample Description References 2 Poverty Situation in 100 Villages 2.1 Identification and Adjustments of Poor Households 2.2 Poverty Status and Characteristics 2.3 Characteristics of Poor Households 2.4 Estimating the Number of Borderline-Poor Households 2.5 Summary of Poverty Status References 3 Poverty Governance and Village-Level Assistance in 100 Villages 3.1 Main Characteristics of Poverty Governance and On-Site Assistance 3.2 Overall Situation of Village-Level Assistance Funds and Projects 3.3 Distribution of Village-Level Assistance Funds and Projects 3.4 Summary of Poverty Governance and Village-Level Assistance 4 Targeted Poverty Assistance in 100 Villages 4.1 Poverty Causes and Assistance Measures 4.2 Types and Methods of Poverty Reduction Through Business Development 4.3 Types and Methods of Poverty Reduction Through Employment 4.4 Technical Training and Effectiveness Evaluation 4.5 Four Guarantees 4.6 A Brief Conclusion on the Implementation of Targeted Assistance 5 Targeted Poverty Alleviation in 100 Villages 5.1 Progress in Poverty Elimination in Poor Households 5.2 Procedures and Evaluation of Household Poverty Elimination 5.3 Analysis of the Effectiveness of Household Poverty Alleviation 5.4 Summary of Targeted Poverty Alleviation References 6 Poverty Alleviation and Endogenous Development in Poor Villages 6.1 Description of the Poverty Alleviation Process in Villages 6.2 Effectiveness of Village Development 6.3 Residents’ Living Standards 6.4 Evaluation on Endogenous Development in Delisted Villages Reference 7 Experiences and Problems in Poverty Alleviation in 100 Villages 7.1 Main Findings 7.2 Summary of the Experience 7.3 Problems in This Study 8 Outlook and Policy Recommendations 8.1 Village Development Outlooks Regarding Relative Poverty Alleviation and Shared Prosperity 8.2 Strategies and Policy Recommendations to Promote Endogenous Development in Relatively Poor Areas References Part II Special Reports Multidimensional Perspectives of Poverty Alleviation in 100 Villages 9 Village-Level Poverty Relief and Alleviation: Results, Challenges and Recommendations 9.1 Overall Effectiveness of Poverty Alleviation in Villages 9.1.1 Poverty Reduction Effect is Evident in Villages, with the Growth of Farmers’ Incomes and Rapid Decline of the Poor Population 9.1.2 “Two Assurances and Three Guarantees” Have Been Achieved in Poor Households 9.1.3 Rural Infrastructure Such as Water, Electricity, Roads and Networks Have Been Greatly Improved 9.1.4 Development Was Seen in Modern Agriculture, Processing and Manufacturing, and Commercial Services 9.1.5 Rural Organizations Are Becoming More Diverse Under the CPC Leadership 9.1.6 The Decline of Village Collective Economy Has Been Reversed 9.2 Problems Faced by Villages in the Battle Against Poverty 9.2.1 Some Poor Households Remain Stubbornly Poor, and Discontent Among Farmers Has to to Be Ameliorated 9.2.2 Village Infrastructure Needs to Be Strengthened, and Poverty Alleviation Should Be Better Connected with the Building of Beautiful Countryside and Rural Revitalization 9.2.3 Significant Differences Exist in Poverty Reduction Policies for Registered Poverty-Stricken Villages and Households, and Other Villages and Households 9.2.4 Farmers and Poor Households Do not Have Sufficient Job Opportunities, Resulting in the Idleness of the Rural Labor Force 9.2.5 The Number of CPC Members is Small, and Farmers’ Cooperatives Are Too Weak to Lead Poor Households 9.3 Ways to Improve the Effectiveness of Poverty Alleviation in Villages 9.3.1 Exploring Multiple Poverty Reduction Paths for Villages that Remain Stubbornly Poor 9.3.2 Infrastructure Should Be Upgraded to Connect Poverty Eradication with Rural Revitalization in Villages with Incomplete Infrastructure 9.3.3 Key and Marginal Groups Should Be Given Due Priorities to Make the Public More Satisfied 9.3.4 Job Opportunities Should Be Provided to More Farmers to Make Them Better Benefit from Business Development Projects 9.3.5 Income Growth and Poverty Alleviation Should Be Made More Sustained to Unleash the Endogenous Motivation in Villages with Low Stability 9.3.6 CPC Members and the Public Should Be Mobilized to Form Mass Participation in Villages with Weak Organizations References 10 Village Poverty Governance and Rural Governance 10.1 What is Governance and Rural Governance in Poverty Eradication? 10.2 Gaps Between Ideal and Reality 10.3 Proper Balance Between Action and Demand 10.4 Good Governance and Sustainability of Poverty Alleviation References 11 Analysis of Income and Consumption of Households in Villages with Targeted Poverty Alleviation 11.1 Poor Households’ Income Level and Its Characteristics in Such Villages 11.1.1 Income Level and Its Structure of Poverty-Stricken Villages Grouped by Regions 11.1.2 Income Level and Structures of Poverty-Stricken Villages Grouped by Income Quintiles 11.1.3 Income Level and Its Structure of Residents in Poverty-Stricken Villages Grouped by Family Size 11.1.4 Income Level and Its Structure of Poverty-Stricken Villages Grouped by the Education Level of Heads of Household 11.2 Analysis of the Level and Structure of Consumption Expenditure of Households in Poverty-Stricken Villages 11.2.1 Level and Structure of Consumption Expenditure of Farmers in Poverty-Stricken Villages Grouped by Region 11.2.2 Level and Structure of Consumption Expenditure of Poverty-Stricken Village Residents by Income Quintiles 11.2.3 Level and Structure of Consumption Expenditure of Village Residents in Poor Households Grouped by Household Size 11.2.4 Level and Structure of Consumption Expenditure of Village Residents in Poverty-Stricken Villages Grouped by the Education Level of Head of Household 11.3 Problems and Challenges in Income and Consumption Faced by Households in Targeted Villages 11.3.1 The Per Capita Net Income Gap Between Households in Poverty-Stricken Villages is Higher Than the National Average in the Same Period 11.3.2 Significant Disparity Exists in Per Capita Consumption Expenditure of Poverty-Stricken Village Residents 11.3.3 Residents of Poverty-Stricken Villages Lack Endogenous Motivation for Income Growth 11.3.4 The Consumption Structure of Residents of Poverty-Stricken Villages is Unreasonable 11.4 Continuous Efforts to Raise the Income Level of Poor Rural Residents and Improve the Consumption Expenditure Structure 11.4.1 Maintaining Continuity and Stability of Poverty Reduction Policies and Efforts 11.4.2 Accelerating Income Distribution System Reform 11.4.3 Stepping up Efforts to Boost Rural Income in Poor Areas, Including Poverty-Stricken Villages References 12 Poverty Reduction Through Employment and Social Security 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Progress of Poverty Alleviation Policies Through Employment and Social Security 12.2.1 Poverty Reduction Through Employment 12.2.2 Poverty Reduction Through Social Security 12.3 Progress of Poverty Reduction Practice Through Employment and Social Security 12.3.1 Survey on Employment and Social Security 12.3.2 Practical Effectiveness of Poverty Reduction Through Employment 12.3.3 Effectiveness of Poverty Reduction Through Social Security 12.4 Problems Facing Poverty Reduction Through Employment and Social Security 12.4.1 Poverty Reduction Through Employment 12.4.2 Social Security in Poverty Reduction 12.5 Measures to Strengthen Employment and Social Security for Poverty Reduction 12.5.1 Proposals to Improve Employment-Based Poverty Alleviation 12.5.2 Recommendations for Enhancing Poverty Reduction Through Social Security 13 Status Quo of Education in Poor Villages, Effectiveness of and Suggestions on Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.1 Significance and History of Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.1.1 Significance of Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.1.2 History of Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.1.3 Practices of Poverty Reduction Through Education Since Targeted Poverty Alleviation 13.2 Current Condition of Education in Poverty-Stricken Villages 13.2.1 Enrollment Rate in Compulsory Education Remained Slightly Lower Than the National Average 13.2.2 Preschool Enrollment Rate Among Registered Poor Households is Low, with that of Girls Even Lower 13.2.3 Large Proportion of Children from Registered Poor Households Did not Attend or Dropped Out from Senior High School, Most Having Dropped Out Voluntarily 13.2.4 Enrollment Rate for Higher Education Was Significantly Lower Than the National Average, with that for Male Students from Registered Poor Households Being the Lowest 13.2.5 Education in Poverty-Stricken Villages Lagged Behind the National Level Due to Fewer and Worse Schools as Well as Lower Expertise of Teachers 13.2.6 Poverty Caused by Schooling Took a Large Share Due to High Burden of Tuition Fees 13.3 Measures and Effects of Poverty Reduction Through Education in Poverty-Stricken Villages 13.3.1 Nationwide Education Funding Policy is Implemented, with Its Coverage and Standards Being Enhanced When Appropriate 13.3.2 Preventing Dropout and Ensuring Compulsory Education for Poor Students to Reduce Rates of Dropout, Both Nominal and De Facto 13.3.3 Improving Education Quality by Strengthening School Infrastructure and Reorganizing Educational Resources 13.3.4 Training Rural Teachers to Improve Their Skills 13.3.5 Strengthening Poverty Reduction Through Vocational Education 13.4 Difficulties Faced by Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.4.1 Preschool Education is Underdeveloped in Poor Rural Areas 13.4.2 Nominally Enrolled but De Facto Dropout in Compulsory Education Cannot Be Ignored 13.4.3 Poverty Caused by the Cost of Education Beyond Ninth Grade Remains Serious 13.4.4 Educational Inequity Caused by Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.5 Policy Recommendations for Poverty Reduction Through Education 13.5.1 Strengthening Public Investment and Increasing the Enrollment Rate of Children from Poor Families in Preschool Education 13.5.2 Improving the Quality of Education at the Compulsory Education Stage and Reducing the Number of Rural Children Who Are Nominally Enrolled but De Facto Dropouts 13.5.3 Increasing the Education-Based Alleviate Poverty Efforts in Education Beyond Ninth Grade and Improving the Enrollment Rate of Children from Poor Families 13.5.4 Increasing Inclusive Education Subsidies and Preferential Policies to Avoid the Emergence of Educational Inequities References 14 Status Quo, Problems, and Measures Facing the Building of Healthy Countryside 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Current Condition of the Building of Healthy Countryside 14.2.1 Supply of Rural Medical and Health Services 14.2.2 Rural Medical Security 14.2.3 The Building of Healthy Environment 14.2.4 Farmers’ Health 14.3 Main Problems in the Building of Healthy Villages 14.3.1 Supply Capacity of Rural Medical and Health Services Needs to Be Improved 14.3.2 Medical Security in Rural Areas Lacks Diversity, and Farmers Have a Low Level of Awareness of Relevant Policies 14.3.3 Family Economic Difficulties Remain an Important Factor Affecting Farmers’ Health 14.3.4 Multiple Weaknesses Concerning Health Remain in the Rural Residential Environment 14.4 Policy Recommendations for the Building of Healthy Villages 14.4.1 Rural Medical and Health Supply Should Be Continuously Improved in Various Aspects 14.4.2 Rural Medical Security System and the Awareness of Security Policies Should Be Enhanced 14.4.3 Farmers’ Income Should Be Improved to Reduce Health Problems Caused by Family Financial Difficulties 14.4.4 Living Environment in Rural Areas Should Be Improved Continuously to Provide Favorable External Conditions for Farmers’ Health References 15 Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy: A Win–Win Approach to Poverty Eradication and Ecological Conservation 15.1 Proposal, Model and Effectiveness of Ecological Poverty Alleviation 15.1.1 Proposal and Development of Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy 15.1.2 Main Models of Ecological Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy 15.1.3 Effectiveness of Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy and Verification of Case Studies of 100 Villages 15.1.4 Analysis of Resource Conditions for Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy 15.2 Practice and Results of Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy 15.2.1 Practice and Effectiveness of Ecological Poverty Alleviation 15.2.2 Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy 15.3 Analysis of the Remaining Problems in Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy 15.3.1 The Understanding of the Relationship Between Poverty Alleviation and Ecological Protection Needs to Be Improved 15.3.2 Ecological Resource Preservation and Environmental Protection Are Still Only a Marginal Component in Poverty Alleviation Planning 15.3.3 The Choice of Ecological Industry is Disconnected from Regional Reality 15.3.4 Awareness of Ecological and Environmental Safety Hazards is Insufficient in Infrastructure Construction 15.3.5 Resettlement and Ecological Protection Are not Synchronized 15.4 Countermeasures and Suggestions for Ecological Poverty Alleviation by Developing the Eco-Economy to Assist Targeted Poverty Alleviation 15.4.1 Green Development Should Serve as the Guide, and the Top-Level Design of Targeted Poverty Alleviation Should Be Optimized 15.4.2 Status and Advantages of Mountain Areas Should Be Understood Scientifically and the Ecological Bottom Line Should Always Be Kept 15.4.3 Ecological Protection and Restoration in Infrastructure Construction Should Be Strengthened 15.4.4 Advantages of Mountain Resources Should Be Tapped to Develop Ecological Industries and Stimulate New Drivers of Green Development 15.4.5 Ecological Poverty Alleviation and Resettlement Should Be Promoted in an Orderly Manner to Provide Long-Term Support 15.4.6 Rural Living Environment and the Ecological Well-Being of Rural Residents Should Be Better Promoted References