During the 2011-2015 period, total resources allocated to implementation of poverty reduction programmes in the six provinces mentioned above reached nearly VND40 trillion (US$1.8 billion) Of the total, more than VND22 trillion came from the State budget, VND1.2 trillion from local budget, and the remaining was sourced from preferential credit loans from businesses and organisations in the form of ODA, government bonds, and NGO funding.

Thanks to State support policies and efforts by local people, the lives of disadvantaged and minority groups have been improved, with the regional poverty rate falling by an average of about 3.91% a year.

In particular, the poverty rate of poor districts under the Government Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP on supporting the 61 most disadvantaged localities nationwide has fallen by an average of more than 6% a year, exceeding the set target of a 4% decline annually under the Resolution.

The poverty rate of supported communes under the 135 Programme - a programme to support economic development in extreme disadvantaged communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas - has also decreased by 3-5% a year, of which 21 communes have reached the programme’s targets.

However, a number of districts still record a high poverty rate of approximately 50% like Mu Cang Chai and Tram Tau districts in Yen Bai province, Tua Chua, Muong Nhe, and Nam Po districts in Dien Bien province. These areas have particular difficulties in natural conditions and socio-economic situation, and have the highest concentration of ethnic minority communities.