(VOV) - During the six-year programme, average poverty rate in the five provinces dropped considerably from more than 25% in 2007 to 10 – 12%.  The Embassy of Denmark announced on Monday that it has successfully implemented the Agriculture and Rural Development Sector Programme Support project worth 42 million USD under the agreement of cooperation between the Danish and Vietnamese Governments.

The project running from 2007 to 2013 helped reduce poverty, particularly in Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Lai Chau provinces in the north, and Dak Lak and Dak Nong provinces in the Central Highlands. The project was focused on sustainable growth in upland rural household welfare arising from improvements in resources management, agricultural production and marketing, with a focus on the poor upland farmers, in particular women and ethnic minorities.