Targeted poverty alleviation and its practices in rural China: A case study of Fuping county, Hebei Province

Abstract

Abstract After nearly seventy years of poverty alleviation, China has basically solved the problem of providing food and clothing to the rural poor. However, the islanding effect of the distribution of the poor and the marginal diminishing effect of the antipoverty resources, which restrict the effects of poverty-eliminating strategies, are increasingly obvious. In this context, targeted poverty alleviation is designed by the Chinese central government. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically analyse targeted poverty alleviation and explore the mechanism of its practices. In addition to reviewing the process of antipoverty in rural China, this study investigated the connotation of targeted poverty alleviation and considered the case of Fuping in Hebei Province to explore targeted antipoverty practices. Results showed that poverty alleviation in rural China could be divided into six stages, and the essence of targeted poverty alleviation lied in helping those who truly needed help and achieving genuine outcomes by accurately identifying and assisting poverty-stricken households, accurately managing objects and measures and accurately assessing antipoverty effectiveness. The practices of targeted poverty alleviation in Fuping county mainly involved industrial development, resettlement assistance, financial and educational development, together with medical security and land consolidation, all of which built an endogenous and sustainable mechanism enabling regional development. This study suggests that targeted poverty alleviation is an innovative strategy which is suitable for overcoming the islanding effect of poverty distribution and helping policymakers formulate detailed and targeted measures to eliminate poverty.