In recent years, policy of the Sawahlunto municipal administration has been directed towards the twin goals of promoting structural adjustment in the local economy and tackling poverty. Structural adjustment measures have been implemented with the aim of transforming the city from being a coal town towards strengthening the tourist sector. To address poverty, the government has implemented a detailed poverty eradication program which focuses on agriculture, plantations, and the livestock sector. The measured level of poverty has fallen rapidly in recent years from over 17% in 2005 to under 3% in 2009.