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Vietnam’s Evolving Poverty Index Map: Patterns and Implications for Policy

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  • Peter Lanjouw

    (VU University)

  • Marleen Marra

    (University London College)

  • Cuong Nguyen

    (National Economics University)

Abstract

This paper uses small area estimation techniques to estimate the poverty indexes of Vietnam’s provinces and districts in 2009. We find that poverty rates have become more spatially concentrated over time, which is consistent with widely observed growth processes linked to agglomeration. We hypothesize that this makes geographic targeting of the poor more relevant as a means to re-balance growing welfare disparities between geographic areas. Simulations indicate that in both 1999 and 2009 geographic targeting for poverty alleviation improves upon a uniform lump-sum transfer and this becomes more evident the more spatially disaggregated the target populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Lanjouw & Marleen Marra & Cuong Nguyen, 2017. "Vietnam’s Evolving Poverty Index Map: Patterns and Implications for Policy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(1), pages 93-118, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:133:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-016-1355-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-016-1355-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Hiraga, Masako & Viet Nguyen, Cuong, 2022. "Childcare and maternal employment: Evidence from Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    3. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Dhongde, Shatakshee & Do, Minh & Nguyen, Cuong Viet & Pimhidzai, Obert, 2023. "Rapid Economic Growth but Rising Poverty Segregation: Will Vietnam Meet the SDGs for Equitable Development?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1236, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Daniel Mont & Cuong Viet Nguyen & Anh Tran, 2020. "The Effect of Sibship Size on Children’s Outcomes: Evidence from Vietnam," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 147-173, February.
    5. Nguyen, Cuong, 2020. "Urban Poverty in Vietnam: Recent Evidences from Household Surveys," MPRA Paper 108972, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Anh Thu Quang Pham & Pundarik Mukhopadhaya & Ha Vu, 2021. "Estimating poverty and vulnerability to monetary and non-monetary poverty: the case of Vietnam," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(6), pages 3125-3177, December.
    7. Cuong V. Nguyen & Nguyet M. Pham, 2018. "Economic growth, inequality, and poverty in Vietnam," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 32(1), pages 45-58, May.
    8. Cuong Viet Nguyen & Manh‐Hung Nguyen & Toan Truong Nguyen, 2023. "The impact of cold waves and heat waves on mortality: Evidence from a lower middle‐income country," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 1220-1243, June.
    9. Dang,Hai-Anh H., 2018. "To impute or not to impute ? a review of alternative poverty estimation methods in the context of unavailable consumption data," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8403, The World Bank.
    10. Nguyen, Cuong Viet, 2021. "Can money buy friends? Evidence from a natural experiment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    11. Dang, Trang Huyen & Nguyen, Cuong Viet & Phung, Tung Duc, 2022. "Trends and Drivers of Inequality: Recent Evidence from Vietnam," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1067, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    12. Zhixi Xu & Zhongliang Cai & Shufan Wu & Xinran Huang & Ji Liu & Junying Sun & Shiliang Su & Min Weng, 2019. "Identifying the Geographic Indicators of Poverty Using Geographically Weighted Regression: A Case Study from Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 947-970, April.
    13. Anh Thu Quang Pham & Pundarik Mukhopadhaya & Ha Vu, 2020. "Targeting Administrative Regions for Multidimensional Poverty Alleviation: A Study on Vietnam," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 143-189, July.
    14. Lanjouw, P. & Marra, M.R., 2018. "Urban poverty across the spectrum of Vietnam’s towns and cities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 295-306.
    15. Nguyen, Cuong, 2017. "Spatial Patterns of Sanitation in Rural Vietnam: An Application of Small Area Estimation," MPRA Paper 85704, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Hai‐Anh H. Dang, 2021. "To impute or not to impute, and how? A review of poverty‐estimation methods in the absence of consumption data," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(6), pages 1008-1030, November.
    17. Yongming Xu & Yaping Mo & Shanyou Zhu, 2021. "Poverty Mapping in the Dian-Gui-Qian Contiguous Extremely Poor Area of Southwest China Based on Multi-Source Geospatial Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-14, August.

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