A program of collaborative research and capacity-building, 2006-2009

Overview

The Vietnamese economy has experienced more than a decade of very rapid economic growth, during which time it has also integrated rapidly with the global economy through more open trade and investment. This growth has been accompanied by sharp reduction in aggregate poverty, but there is also evidence of increasing economic disparities by region and ethnic dimensions. It is less recognized, moreover, that growth and globalization also threaten to accelerate environmental damage and natural resource depletion rates. This may undermines poverty alleviation by reducing the income-earning capacity of the poor, whose income depend heavily on the natural resource base.

This project is dedicated to understanding the complex relationship between globalization, poverty, and the environment in Vietnam. By combining microeconomic analysis with economy-wide modeling, we aim to answer the following questions:

1. Can growth, poverty alleviation and environmental protection be simultaneously achieved?
2. What are the main economic conduits for poverty alleviation, and how does globalization affect incentives to deplete the natural resource base?
3. What do multiple policy goals imply for the design or reform of national policies?

In addition, the project also include capacity building objectives and activities through building partnerships and collaborative research with universities and research institutes in Vietnam.

The GPE-VN Program is funded by the Ford Foundation