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)