What Kenya can learn from China on how targeted approach lifted 800 million from poverty

China's dramatic success in lifting an estimated 800 million people out of extreme poverty in just four decades was driven by a meticulously targeted strategy, a leading Chinese scholar says.

Professor Wang Sangui, from the School of Agriculture and Rural Development at Renmin University of China, speaking in Beijing, outlined the core elements of this approach, insights that Kenyan policymakers could closely study for potential application in the country’s fight against poverty.

Prof Wang said China's ambitious drive to eradicate extreme poverty, which saw an estimated 800 million people lifted out of destitution, hinged on a meticulously targeted approach and a powerful state apparatus.

Professor Wang emphasized that while decades of rapid economic growth created the initial conditions, the decisive factor in China's success was its evolution towards highly specific, data-driven poverty alleviation programmes.

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This marked a departure from earlier, more generalized aid efforts.

At the heart of this strategy was the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation," championed by President Xi Jinping. This involved detailed assessments to identify the specific needs of individual households and communities, followed by tailored interventions.

A key element was the relocation of approximately 10 million people from remote, inhospitable areas to regions with better opportunities, backed by significant state funding and comprehensive resettlement packages.

Beyond relocation, China implemented a raft of targeted measures, including tailored income-generating projects, interest-free loans for small businesses, employment support programmes and investments in local infrastructure relevant to specific rural economies.

The mobilisation of resources and expertise from wealthier eastern provinces to less developed western regions also played a crucial role.

Professor Wang stressed the unwavering commitment and hierarchical structure of the ruling Communist Party, with party secretaries at all levels held directly accountable for poverty reduction within their jurisdictions.

This top-down approach, coupled with an independent third-party assessment mechanism, aimed to ensure effective implementation.

Massive state-led investments in rural infrastructure, education, and social safety nets provided a crucial foundation for these targeted efforts.

Professor Wang highlighted the pivotal role of the "Precision Poverty Alleviation Strategy," launched in 2014, which dramatically accelerated progress. This initiative saw 100 million rural poor lifted above the poverty line by 2020, culminating in China's declaration of the eradication of absolute poverty.

Professor Wang shared his analysis during a public lecture in Beijing titled "From Poverty Reduction to Rural Revitalization."

He highlighted the initial direct interventions implemented between 1983 and 2011, noting that while significant progress was made, a more precise and well-governed approach was needed to reach the most vulnerable.

"China could not achieve the goal of eliminating absolute poverty by 2020 without changing its poverty alleviation strategy," Professor Wang stated.

Wang outlined the key pillars of this strategy during a lecture in Beijing on Tuesday offering insights that Kenyan policymakers could exploit.

China's unprecedented poverty reduction, a feat that has reshaped global development metrics, provides a compelling, albeit complex, blueprint for nations like Kenya struggling with similar challenges, studies show.

Official Chinese statistics show a steady decrease in poverty over the past four decades. Measured by the 2010 poverty line, China lifted 770 million rural people out of poverty since 1978, with the headcount ratio plummeting from 97.5 per cent to near zero, marking a historical achievement in removing absolute poverty completely.

Analysts say Professor Wang's analysis also underscores the critical role of precise interventions, unwavering governance, and sustained investment in achieving this monumental shift.

Despite this remarkable achievement, Professor Wang acknowledged that significant disparities between urban and rural areas persist, and that rural revitalization remains a critical priority for China's future modernization.

"China's modernization is largely dependent on rural development before 2050," he stated. "Without rural modernization, China will not achieve the second centenary goal to build a prosperous, strong, democratic and civilized socialist country by 2050. Big gaps still exist between urban and rural areas."

Wang said policymakers in other parts of the world grappling with persistent poverty and regional inequalities, could study China's model, recognizing both its successes and the significant differences in political and economic systems.

The focus on highly targeted interventions and a strong, centralized approach offers potential lessons, Wang said, even as Kenya navigates its own devolved governance structure and fiscal constraints.

Professor Wang's analysis ultimately reveals a complex interplay of economic growth, meticulously targeted programmes, and a powerful, centralized state committed to poverty eradication – a formula that has yielded extraordinary results for China.