The first non-governmental organization (NGO) collaborative project with the government to reduce village-level poverty announced its second-phase NGOs yesterday in Beijing.

 

The five NGOs selected for the second phase of the Jiangxi Poverty Alleviation project at the village level included the Ningxia Center for Environment and Poverty Alleviation and the Beijing Liangsuming Rural Cultural Development Center.

 

These NGOs, along with the six chosen for the first phase last February, will join forces with local officials on participatory village planning and to implement village projects based on the priorities identified by the communities.

 

The project marks the first time that NGOs have participated directly in village poverty reduction and development planning.

 

"The move is a sound innovation amid the government's growing commitment to poverty reduction," said Wu Zhong, director-general of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (LGOP).

 

"The partnership will improve the government's function and facilitate its efficiency in maximizing the benefits of the poverty alleviation fund."

 

Lawrence Greenwood, vice president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said experience demonstrated that NGO-government partnerships could provide a "win-win" outcome and "bring to bear each partner's strengths."

 

Kang Xiaoguang, a professor at the Renmin University of China, agreed with Greenwood.

 

"It is the same amount of money. The difference is that both public and private sectors can compete for its management and the one with higher efficiency gets the bid."

 

The partnership will improve transparency and thus reduce corruption, Kang noted.

 

For NGOs, to work with the government and to use its funds present an opportunity to broaden their scope, particularly when most of the NGOs in China remain highly reliant on international funding.

 

"This project comes at a time when China is embarking on a balanced, science-based and people-centered development toward a harmonious society," said Christopher Spohr, an ADB social sector economist based in Beijing.

 

"It links directly to calls for expanding the role of nongovernmental players in rural development under a recent key Chinese government directive and also to efforts to expand the role of farmer associations."

 

The Jiangxi initiative will receive 11 million yuan (US$1.4 million) in funding and will be carried out by the LGOP and its Jiangxi counterparts.

 

The project is supported under an ADB technical assistance scheme. The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, a leading NGO active in poverty reduction, will be the implementing agency for the pilot test component.

 

(China Daily January 20, 2007)