In the 2021 - 2025 period, Điện Biên province was allocated a total capital source of over VND 2,063 billion to implement the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction. This is an important resource for the province to invest in infrastructure, support production, increase income, and improve the lives of people, especially ethnic minorities in remote and border areas. Despite facing many difficulties due to epidemics and natural disasters, with the decisive involvement of the entire political system and the consensus of businesses and people, the province’s poverty reduction programs have brought many positive results, contributing to changing the face of rural and mountainous areas.

As a province with a high poverty rate, with over 80% of the population being ethnic minorities and a fragmented terrain, Điện Biên province has flexibly implemented many poverty reduction solutions suitable for the conditions of each region and population group, focusing on diversifying livelihoods and developing production linked with career changes.

During this period, the entire province supported the construction and replication of more than 200 poverty reduction models and projects, such as developing macadamia and coffee trees, and raising breeding buffaloes and cows. Each year, more than 8,000 laborers receive vocational training, and thousands of poor households are supported with housing, domestic water projects, and production tools, creating conditions for household economic development.

Reviewing the outstanding results of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021 - 2025 period, Nguyễn Thanh Sơn, Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, stated that under Project 1 - “Addressing the shortage of residential land, housing, production land, and domestic water,” the entire province has supported 723 households with housing, 964 households with career changes, and 29,756 households with access to centralized domestic water, contributing to improving people’s lives. For Project 2 - “Planning, arranging, and stabilizing population in necessary areas,” the entire province was allocated over VND 140 billion to implement 6 population stabilization projects for 430 households, creating conditions for people to settle down and focus on production. As for Project 3 - “Developing sustainable agricultural and forestry production along the value chain,” the entire province has supported the planting of nearly 300ha of protection and production forests and has accompanied thousands of households in implementing 110 value chain linkage projects (macadamia, cinnamon, coffee, pineapple...) and 338 community production development projects (raising muscovy ducks, chickens, buffaloes, breeding horses, fish; and planting rice, corn, cassava, tea, cinnamon, macadamia, and cardamom...).

In parallel with production support, all levels of government have also effectively promoted social policy credit programs, helping poor, near-poor households, and other policy beneficiaries access preferential capital to expand production, business, and create local jobs. Many models like “excellent farmer producers and entrepreneurs” and “women helping each other in business” have been replicated, helping to spread a spirit of self-reliance within the community.

Along with investment resources from the Central Government, the province has focused on promoting internal strengths, encouraging people to change their mindset and methods, and to boldly apply technical advances and link up for commodity production. In some areas such as Tuần Giáo, Na Sang, and Pa Ham, the movement to develop macadamia, coffee, and pineapple has helped people increase their income, forming a sustainable direction for agricultural economic development.

In Quài Tở commune, the model of planting medicinal herbs under the forest canopy has opened up new livelihoods for people. Lò Thị Lả of Pom Ban village shared: “In the past, people were only familiar with growing corn and upland rice, facing food shortages year-round. Since joining the model of planting ginseng and medicinal herbs and receiving technical training and capital support, life has gotten better.”

In many remote communes, people’s livelihoods have been expanded, and their material and spiritual lives have clearly improved. Operating under the two-level local government model, the commune level, which is closest to people, is more proactive in reviewing and classifying poor households, building practical support plans, and at the same time, mobilizing social resources to care for people’s lives, ensure social security, and reduce poverty sustainably.

The poverty reduction programs and projects are all integrated with the province’s socio-economic development plan, focusing on investing in transport infrastructure, irrigation, rural electricity, education, health, and agriculture. In particular, the province prioritizes support for vulnerable groups such as poor and near-poor households, women, children, and small ethnic minority groups. Communication work has been strengthened, inspiring a will to rise and a spirit of self-reliance in each household. The “For the Poor - Leaving No One Behind” movement has spread widely, attracting the participation of the entire political system, the business community, and people.

Thanks to the synchronous implementation of many solutions, the poverty rate in the province has decreased rapidly and sustainably, from 34.9% in 2021 to about 19.3% in September 2025. This reflects the effectiveness of the leadership and direction of party committees and authorities at all levels, while also affirming the central role of people in the poverty reduction process. Wherever livelihoods are expanded, faith, aspiration, and the will to rise are ignited.

The diversification of livelihoods, linked with innovating organizational methods and the effective use of resources, has opened up the right direction. Poverty reduction is no longer mere support but has become a process of awakening internal strengths, creating opportunities for each person to stand on their own feet, and contributing to building a prosperous and abundant life, gradually realizing the development aspirations of this heroic land in the new period.