Pilot Demonstration Project of Contiguous Poverty Alleviation through Industrial Development in China’s Poverty-Stricken Areas
Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities
Foreign Capital Project Management Center, State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development
April 2014
Contents
Abstract
1 Foreword
1.1 Project Background
1.2 Project Content
1.3 Scope Definition of the Ethnic Minority Development Plan
1.4 Preparation Goals of the Ethnic Minority Development Plan
1.5 Development Goals for Ethnic Minorities under the Project
1.6 Summary of Social Evaluation
2 Overview of Ethnic Minorities in Project Villages
2.1 Population Status of Ethnic Minorities
2.1.1 Guizhou Province
2.1.2 Sichuan Province
2.1.3 Gansu Province
2.1.4 Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities
2.2 Religious Beliefs and Cultural Characteristics of Ethnic Minorities
2.2.1 Miao Nationality
2.2.2 Yi Nationality
2.2.3 Hui Nationality
2.2.4 Dongxiang Nationality
2.2.5 Integration between Various Nationalities
2.3 Social and Economic Profile of Ethnic Minorities in Project Villages
2.3.1 Income
2.3.2 Land Resources
2.3.3 Planting Conditions
2.3.4 Breeding Conditions
2.3.5 Education Situation
2.4 Poverty Status of Ethnic Minorities
2.4.1 Current Poverty Status in Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities
2.4.2 Livelihood Sources of Poverty-stricken Minority Households
2.4.3 Participation of Poverty-stricken Minority Households in Cooperatives
2.4.4 Participation of Poverty-stricken Minority Households in Competitive Industries
2.5 Current Policy Framework for Ethnic Minorities
2.6 Operating Projects relating to the Development of Ethnic Minorities within Project Villages
3 Public Consultation and Participation
3.1 Participation Process of Minority Communities
3.2 Participation Results of Minority Communities
3.3 Community Public Participation Plan
3.4 Complaint and Grievance Mechanism
4 Impact Analysis of the Project on Ethnic Minorities
4.1 Positive Impact
4.2 Negative Impact and Risks
5 Difference and Vulnerability Analysis of Ethnic Minorities
5.1 Difference Analysis of Ethnic Minorities
5.1.1Miao
5.1.2 Yi
5.1.3 Hui and Dongxiang
5.1.4 Gender Difference Analysis of Ethnic Minorities
5.2 Vulnerability Analysis of Ethnic Minorities
6 Analysis of Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Cooperation Organizations
6.1 Types and Characteristics of Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Cooperation Organizations (Economic Organization)
6.1.1 Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives
6.1.2 Mutual Cooperative for Industrial Development
6.1.3 Farmers’ Association
6.1.4 Mutual-aid Group
6.2 Ethnic Minorities’ Understanding of and Attitude Towards Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives
6.3 Problems with Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives and Causes
6.3.1 Problems with Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives
6.3.2 Causes of the Problems
6.4 Suggestions for Improvement of Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives
7 Action Plan
7.1 Common Action Suggestions for Various Ethnic Minorities
7.2 The Miao Nationality
7.3 The Yi Nationality
7.4 The Dongxiang Nationality
7.5 Implementation Unit and Schedule
7.5.1 Implementation Unit and Capacity Building
7.5.2 Implementation Plan
7.5.3 Fund Budget
8 Monitoring and Evaluation
Appendix
Appendix 1 Distribution of Surveyed Villages
Appendix 2 Records of Main Interviews
Appendix 3 Ongoing Projects Related to Ethnic Minorities Development in Project Area
Appendix 4 List of Early Participation Situation of Ethnic Minorities Development Plan
Appendix 5 Documents on the Establishment of County-Level Steering Groups of Part of Projects
Appendix 6 Field Investigation Photos
Table directory
Table 1-1 Identification of Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities within the Project Are......5
Table 1-2 Benefiting Population of Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities……...... 6
Table 2-1 Nationality Structure of Guizhou (Bijie) Population (2012)……………………………11
Table 2-2 Nationality Structure of Sichuan (Luzhou and Liangshan) Population (2012)…………………………………………………………………………………………...... 12
Table 2-3 Nationality Structure of Gansu (Tianshui and Linxia) Population (2012)...... 13
Table 2-4 Population Status of Ethnic Nationalities Inhabited in Project Villages of Guizhou (Bijie) (Unit: persons, %)………………………………………………………………………….…13
Table 2-5 Population Status of Ethnic Nationalities Inhabited in Project Villages of Sichuan (Luzhou and Liangshan) (Unit: persons, %)………………………………………………………14
Table 2-6 Population Status of Ethnic Nationalities Inhabited in Project Villages of Gansu (Tianshui and Linxia) (Unit: persons, %)……………………………………………………………15
Table 2-7 Per capital income of farmers in project villages inhabited by ethnic minorities (2012)………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21
Table 2-8 Income Source Composition of Different Ethnic Survey Sample Households (%)……………………………………………………………………………………………………...21
Table 2-9 Cultivated Land Resources in Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities (2012)………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22
Table 2-10 Planting Conditions in Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities (2012)…………………………………………………………………………………………………24
Table 2-11 Particulars of the Breeding Industry in Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities (2012)…………………………………………………………………………………..… 25
Table 2-12 List of Education Level for Ethnic Minorities (%)………………………………….….27
Table 2-13 Poverty Status in Project Villages Inhabited by Ethnic Minorities (2012)…………. 28
Table 2-14 Livelihood Source Composition of Impoverished, Medium and Well-off Minority Households (%)……………………………………………………………………………………….29
Table 2-15 Statistics of Poverty-stricken Minority Households Participating in Cooperatives…………………………………………………………………………………….……30
Table 2-16 Identification of Poverty-stricken Minority Households with Income Increasing Channels………………………………………………………………………………………….….31
Table 2-17 Poverty-stricken Minority Households’ Mastery of Characteristic and Advantaged Industrial Technologies………………………………………………………………………………32
Table 2-18 Framework of Ethnic Policies Set forth by China (Guizhou, Sichuan and Gansu) and the World Bank………………………………………………………………………………….34
Table 2-19 Basic Information of National Autonomous Areas within the Project Area……….45
Table 3-1 Statistical Table of Public Participation Activities under Ethnic Minority Development Plans…………………………………………………………………………………………………..52
Table 4-1 Will of Ethnic Minorities in Putting Labor in the Project……………………...... 62
Table 51 Structure of Income Source for Yi People in Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province (%)
Table 52 Survey of Mandarin Proficiency among Yi People in Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Table 53 Mandarin Speaking Ability of Dongxiang People in Dongxiang Autonomous County, Gansu Province
Table 54 Negative Impact of Not Speaking Mandarin on Dongxiang People (%)
Table 55 Knowledge about the Project among Ethnic Minority Women (%)
Table 56 Knowledge about Cooperative among Ethnic Minority Women (%)
Table 57 Industrial Skills of Ethnic Minority Women(%)
Table 58 Support to the Project among Ethnic Minority Women(%)
Table 59 Willingness to Participate in the Project among Ethnic Minority Women (%)
Table 510 Proportion of Farming Income by Nationality (%)
Table 511 Representations of the Vulnerability of Ethnic Minorities and Reduction of the Vulnerability in the Project
Table 61 Basic Information of Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives
Table 62 Registration Time of Ethnic Minority Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives
Table 63 Ethnic Minorities’ Knowledge about Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives (%)
Table 64 Ethnic Minorities’ Support to Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives (%)
Table 65 Ethnic Minorities’ Willingness to Participate in Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives (%)
Table 66 Ethnic Minorities’ Expectation of Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives (%)
Table 67 Ethnic Minorities’ Understanding of Prominent Factors That Influence the Development of Cooperative Organizations(%)
Table 68 Ethnic Minorities’ Understanding of Trainings of Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives (%)
Table 69 Ethnic Minorities’ Demand for Content of Training of Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives (%)
Table 610 Ethnic Minorities’ Attitude towards A Too Small Industrial Scale Will Restrict Development of Cooperative Organizations
Table 71 Establishment of Steering Groups in Project Counties
Table 72 Statistics of Participation of Implementation Unit of Each Project County in Guizhou Province in Trainings
Table 75 Implementation Schedule
Table 76 Pilot Demonstration Project of Poverty Alleviation in China’s Contiguous Poverty-Stricken Areas Through Industrial Development the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities (the action plan for gender)
Table 81 Monitoring and Evaluation Outline for Pilot Demonstration Project of Poverty Alleviation in China’s Contiguous Poverty-Stricken Areas through Industrial Development the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities
List of figures
Figure 7-1 Organizational Management Structure Chart of the Project
Abstract
A. Project Overview
The World Bank-financed Pilot Demonstration Project of Contiguous Poverty Alleviation Through Industrial Development in China’s Poverty-Stricken Areas(Stage 6 poverty alleviation project of the World Bank) is the sixth large-scale comprehensive poverty alleviation project jointly carried out by the Chinese government and the World Bank in terms of poverty alleviation. The project area covers 10 municipalities (prefectures), 27 counties (districts/cities), 135 townships and 547 project villages of Guizhou, Sichuan and Gansu provinces in contiguous destitute areas of Wumeng Mountain and Liupan Mountain, where the poverty incidence is as high as 44%, and rural per capita net income is RMB3510. The construction content includes four components: Modern industrial value chain development, public infrastructure and service support, research and promotion of poverty alleviation mechanism through industrial development, project management, monitoring and evaluation. The project is devoted to exploiting and demonstrating rural pillar industrial development modes for typical poverty-stricken areas, so as to reinforce sustainable agricultural production systems, to improve organization arrangement and to increase rural income.
B. Social Evaluation Summary
Between October and November 2013, the Project Management Office, the social and economic investigation team and expert social development consultants of the World Bank project carried out a series of consultation activities participated by the general public. The project team paid field visits to 27 counties, 63 townships and 69 project villages of Guizhou, Sichuan and Gansu involving the project, issued 1600 questionnaires, and received 1507 questionnaires, accounting for 94.2%; held 138 focus group forums, including 69 women forums, accounting for 50%, participated by 447 women; 206 villagers received in-depth interview, including 65 villagers from ethnic minorities, accounting for 31.6%; 98 women, accounting for 47.6%; interviewed 171 key information holders including township cadres, village cadres, persons in charge of cooperatives, agro-technicians and so on; and held a total of 37 workshops attended by stakeholders from poverty relief office, bureau of ethnic and religious affairs, agricultural bureau, bureau of animal husbandry, women’s federation and other related institutions of project counties.
As shown in social and economic investigation results, (1) as to project knowledge, 86.1% of respondents heard of the project, and 43.8% of respondents knew about (including “knew well” and “knew about”) the project; (2) as to attitude to the project, 95.7% of respondents supported the project construction, and 94% of respondents were willing to cooperate with the government in project implementation; (3) as to participation of farmers’ cooperative organizations, 95.7% of respondents agreed to set up farmers’ cooperative organizations, 95.6% of respondents were willing to join farmers’ cooperative organizations, and 93.2% of respondents considered it necessary to carry out training on cooperatives; (4) as to cognition of the project significance, 92.1% of respondents considered the project important (including “very important” and “important”) to families, and 96% of respondents were willing to obtain employment in the project; (5) however, 77.5% of respondents indicated that they hadn’t grasped or had grasped insufficient technologies of characteristic advantaged industries.
C. Scope Definition of the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities
According to World Bank OP4.10 Identification Basis of Ethnic Minorities, areas collectively adhered by ethnic minorities to the project area include: Dafang County and Zhijin County, Bijie City of Guizhou Province; Xuyong County, Luzhou City of Sichuan Province; Butuo County, Jinyang County, Zhaojue County and Meigu County of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture; Zhangjiachuan Hui Autonomous County, Tianshui City of Gansu Province, Yongjing County and Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture.
The preparation scope of the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities covers 5 municipalities/ prefectures, 10 counties, 62 townships and 209 project villages of Guizhou, Sichuan and Gansu provinces in contiguous destitute areas of Wumeng Mountain and Liupan Mountain, including 51 nationality townships, accounting for 82.26%. As shown in ethnic minority identification results, within the scope of the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities, a total of 247266 persons will directly benefit from the project, including 208623 minority population, accounting for approximately 84.37%; of all minority population, 15301 persons are of the Miao nationality, accounting for about 6.19% of the total population; 162580 persons are of the Yi nationality, accounting for about 65.75% of the total population; 13821 persons are of the Hui nationality; accounting for about 5.59% of the total population; 11500 persons are of the Dongxiang nationality, accounting for about 4.65% of the total population.
D. Objectives of the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities
The objectives of the Action Plan for the Development of Ethnic Minorities lie in that: (1) To provide all information concerning the project in ways conforming to traditional culture and customs of ethnic minorities within the project area, so as to carry out sufficient communication and consultation and to analyze their needs; (2) in order to facilitate the realization of project objectives, incorporate the demand of ethnic minorities for the project into project design; (3) to understand the cognition and demand of ethnic minorities for the project, and to build farmers’ professional cooperatives in a way adaptive to minority culture; (4) to take measures and actions to minimize potential negative effects and risks of the project on ethnic minorities, and to enhance opportunities of ethnic minorities to benefit from the project.
E. Existing Policy Framework for Ethnic Minorities
The preparation of the Ethnic Minority Development Plan for the project is based on relevant laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China relating to ethnic minorities, related ordinances of Guizhou, Sichuan and Gansu provinces, existing World Bank policies towards nationalities (OP4.10, BP4.10) and so on. National laws and regulations mainly include the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Regional Autonomy by Ethnic Minorities, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives, etc., while related ordinances of the three provinces mainly involve the implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional Autonomy by Ethnic Minorities, regulations on the exercise of autonomy and so on, while other provisions include national plans on supporting regional development, etc.
F. Difference Analysis of Ethnic Minorities
I. Miao Nationality
(A) Traditional culture: Ancestors of the Miao nationality generally lived in hilly areas with forests, the severe living environment there fostered the traditions of mutual help, equality and mutual benefit; the belief of the Miao nationality mainly nature worship, ancestor worship and so on, and they respect the authority of elders within the nationality.
(B) Economy: Miao People within project villages are mainly engaged in agriculture, having unstable source of income. In recent years, more and more people of the Miao nationality go out for work, and working for others has a source of cash income for Miao villagers, but the number and proportion of Miao people working for others are smaller than those of Han people.
(C) Customs: 1) Language: According to the field investigation, all Miao people in minority project villages understand mandarin, and except elder people, Miao people there can speak Chinese accompanied with some regional dialect and can communicate and exchange with each other in Chinese; 2) traditional festivals: Miao people in project villagers enjoy traditional festivals such as Tiaohua Festival, Zuopo Festival, Miao New Year and so on, among which, the Tiaohua Festival is in lunar February, the Zuopo Festival is in lunar May, and traditional Miao New Year happens between lunar October and November, generally 3-15 days. The arrangement of project activities should respect traditional customs of the Miao nationality, and try to avoid these festivals.
II. Yi Nationality
(A) Traditional culture:
1. Villages inhabited by the Yi nationality are featured by their family culture, and different subfamilies have distinct boundaries and characteristics. As the tribal chief or core people of each subfamily, Degu is not only the defender of the subfamily system, but also administrator and coordinator of local public affairs.
2. Different cultural traditions and religious belief. Traditionally, the Yi nationality has a worship of dense branches, thinking that the nature is sacrosanct and habitually considering fruit trees need no pruning. In project design, scientific agricultural technologies need to be advertised, publicity and training on planting technologies need to be strengthened, so as to improve the industrial technology ability of the Yi nationality.
(B) Economy
1. Differentiated economic development level. Liangshan Yi village of Sichuan has a remote location, inconvenient traffic, simple farming techniques, and is lack of tractor-ploughing roads, water conservation equipment and other infrastructure, having poor foundation for crop farming and breeding development.
2. Difference in economic structure. As shown in social and economic investigation results on minorities, the major income source for 79.2% of Yi people in project villages, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan is farming, while only 20.2% of Yi people rely on working outside. In general, the Yi nationality is more dependent on the agriculture and their economic income structure is relatively single.
(C) Society
1. Due to the geographical environment, history and other reasons, four project counties of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan directly stepped from the slave society to the socialist society, the majority of peasant households have a relatively poor understanding and receptivity of new concepts and new things, and are less adaptive to the project.
2. Different social organizations. 1) Subfamily is the most basic unit for social mobilization and activities of the Yi nationality, and the base for individual members to receive certain guarantee, which plays an irreplaceable role in rural governance; 2) in terms of the development of farmers’ cooperative organizations, the number is small and the operation is poor in colony of the Yi nationality, and Yi people have so little understanding of farmers’ cooperative organizations that publicity and training thereon should be enhanced.
(D) Customs
1. Language and characters. The Yi nationality has its own language and characters. It is learned from field interview that Yi people in Liangshan of Sichuan speak Yi language and most Yi villagers have low acceptance level and ability of mandarin; as shown in survey results, 85.2% of Yi people surveyed can’t speak mandarin.
2. Traditional festivals and daily schedule. Traditional festivals of the Yi nationality include the Torch Festival, Yi New Year and so on. In particular, the Torch Festival is the biggest traditional festival of the Yi nationality, dated lunar June 24 each year, while Yi New Year generally occurs in lunar October. During festivals, there tend to be only celebration activities. Yi villagers generally have two meals a day, one around 10am and supper after 6pm. The arrangement of project publicity and training activities should respect habits of the Yi nationality, avoid these special times and planned at suitable time in slack season.
3. Consumption habits and commodity consciousness. Due to traditional and climate reasons, all Yi villagers like drinking, having weak consciousness of saving, and the majority of money they earn is used to buy wine; they also have weak commodity consciousness, and most cattle and sheep they raise are used to celebrate the Spring Festival and other festivals, or used for entertaining and Pemo activities.