Agriculture & Poverty

Poverty alleviation must begin with agricultural development in rural areas, because the majority of the world’s poor rely on agriculture for their income and food. In Vietnam, 90% of poor people live in rural areas, and these families derive 70% of their incomes from agriculture.

IDE has found that small farm families can progressively work their way out of poverty when they have access to high-quality, appropriate agricultural inputs, capacity in intensified, diversified production techniques, and linkages to markets for high-value farm products. The challenge lies in making useful products and services available to rural families in a sustainable way.

By catalyzing both supply and demand for products, services, and information appropriate to rural households, IDE makes markets work for the rural poor, enabling families to develop their small farm businesses and improve their living standards.