Other crops
Websites/Multiple Documents
Description:
"As wheat and rice prices surge, the humble potato is being rediscovered as a nutritious crop that could cheaply feed an increasingly hungry world."
Source/publisher:
FAO
Date of entry/update:
2008-05-10
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Other crops
Language:
English, Francais, Russian, Espanol
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Individual Documents
Description:
"Myanmar is not a country that comes to mind when one thinks of exquisite blends of coffee.
But an olfactory and flavorsome revolution is in the making, infusing value into a beverage that has long lagged a poor second to Myanmar’s national beverage, tea.
Coffee is growing in popularity. And the export potential is up, with smallholder coffee growers beginning to be able to compete or develop a niche in the world’s coffee market.
Coffee is the second most sought-after commodity in the world, with an industry that is worth over $100 billion across the globe. Over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed in the world every day.
Over 90 percent of coffee production takes place in developing countries, mostly South America, while consumption happens mainly in the industrialized economies.
TRANSFORMING THE RURAL IDYL: It is far too early to see a Starbucks crop up in every town and city in Myanmar. But what we are seeing is the development of standard and specialty coffees aimed at local and foreign palates.
Everybody knows that Myanmar’s agricultural sector makes up the backbone of the economy with over 60 percent of the working population toiling the land. But up to a few years ago it was a backward production model typified by scenes of bullocks ploughing the fields and poor communications, mud roads and supply chains..."
Source/publisher:
"Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2019-11-02
Date of entry/update:
2019-11-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Other crops, Sustainable agriculture - Burma/Myanmar, Agriculture in Burma/Myanmar: general and research
Language:
more
Description:
"Maung Maung, 46, in his home garden where he grows leafy vegetables using hydroponics in Shwe Bon Thar village, Myingyan Township, part of Myanmar's Dry Zone on Feb 22, 2017. TRF/Thin Lei Win
PAKOKKU, Myanmar, March 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Myo Myint fondly remembers when his one-acre farm regularly produced 100 baskets of rice. But as rainfall became erratic in this arid region, he started growing betel leaves, a less thirsty cash crop.
This summer, the 50-year-old is considering leaving fallow his land in Myanmar's central "Dry Zone" because when the stream behind his house dries up in March, the cost of irrigation outstrips the income from any crop.
A 2016 drought followed by heavy rains already battered his farm.
"Water is becoming more scarce every year. I want to keep growing the crops but there's not much I can do without water," he said, sitting beneath the ground floor of his stilt house.
His village of Myay Ni Twin, in Pakokku township, is around two hours' drive from Bagan, Myanmar's top tourist destination known for its ancient Buddhist temples.
"When I was growing up, the stream didn't go dry. Now there's less rain, and it's very hard to plant things," he said.
Myanmar recently emerged from decades of military dictatorship only to face a bigger existential threat.
The Southeast Asian nation of 50 million people is the world's second most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index from research group Germanwatch. Studies have shown the onset of the monsoon is becoming more variable, increasing the risk of drought.
The Dry Zone, an area comprising 58 townships in Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing, is home to around 10 million people, who mostly rely on rain-fed agriculture. It suffers from year-round water shortages.
A recent assessment by the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA), an initiative funded by the European Union and United Nations, predicted a temperature increase of up to 3 degrees Celsius and a shorter monsoon in Pakokku by 2050.
Farmers like Myo Myint - already struggling to make ends meet - will bear the brunt of those changes.
His village has a well, but pumping water costs too much, he said. So he was intrigued by the prototypes of soil moisture sensors in the hands of Tayzar Lin, a product designer with Proximity Designs, a Myanmar-based social enterprise that develops affordable products for farmers.
"I've been curious since I saw something similar on Facebook," said the farmer, as Tayzar Lin plunged into the soil a boxy contraption with a dial at the top and an alloy-tipped brass rod at the bottom.
The hand on the dial moved to green, showing the soil still held water. Red means dry, and blue means too much water.
Myo Myint dreams of watering only when needed, instead of every two days as he now does, to save the precious resource..."
Thin Lei Win, Maung Maung
Source/publisher:
UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
Date of publication:
2017-03-15
Date of entry/update:
2019-06-11
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burma/Myanmar reports to international bodies and mechanisms, The impact of climate change on the environment of Burma/Myanmar, Other crops, Water resources of Burma/Myanmar, UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
Language:
English
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Description:
''Communication for Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security in Myanmar...''
Dr. Naoya Fujimoto, U Htary Naing, U Thaung Win, U Soe Khaing, U Aung Than, U Than Choung, Khin Thuzar Nwe
Source/publisher:
ABC International Development
Date of publication:
2017-04-06
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Rice, Other crops, Glacier reduction - Impact on water supply, Water resources of Burma/Myanmar, Smallholder farming and farmers in Burma/Myanmar
Language:
Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description:
''Communication for Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security in Myanmar...''
Khin Thuzar Nwe, U Aye Ko, U Ko Ko Lwin, U Kyaw Myo Thant, U Aung Ko Latt, U Win Aung Kyaw, U Nyunt Wai, U Min Hlaing
Source/publisher:
ABC International Development
Date of publication:
2017-04-06
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Sustainable agriculture - Burma/Myanmar, Other crops, Smallholder farming and farmers in Burma/Myanmar
Language:
Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
more
Description:
Communication for Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security in Myanmar.
Khin Thuzar Nwe, Cho Ei Ei Zin, Ko Soe Thura, U Saw Shall War, U Myo Chit, Khun Kyaw Zin Htoo, Daw Latt Latt Khaing, Dr. Hla Kyi
Source/publisher:
ABC International Development
Date of publication:
2017-04-06
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Food Security and nutrition in Burma/Myanmar, Other crops, Rice, Agricultural policy, Agricutural inputs (fertilisers, pesticides etc)
Language:
Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description:
''Communication for Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security in Myanmar''
Khin Thuzar Nwe, U Hlan Chin, U Ke Tu, U Htan Hell, U Tint Nay Aung, U William, Mrs. Murielle Morisson
Source/publisher:
ABC International Development
Date of publication:
2017-04-06
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Shifting ("swidden", "jhum", "taungya") cultivation - Burma/Myanmar, Smallholder farming and farmers in Burma/Myanmar, Food Security in Chin State, Other crops, Sustainable agriculture - Burma/Myanmar, Rural development in Burma/Myanmar
Language:
Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ), Chin, English
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Description:
''As part of our development projects in many of Burma's ethnic minority states, we seek to educate more farmers in sustainable agricultural practices. Many have been on the run for so many years that they have forgotten their own traditional farming methods...''
Source/publisher:
Partners Relief & Development
Date of publication:
2013-09-01
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Other crops, Smallholder farming and farmers in Burma/Myanmar, Sustainable agriculture - Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Description:
''Specific research needs relating to crop improvement for drought resistance must
be considered within the broader context of a total agricultural research and
extension strategy. At the simplest, the goals of such a strategy are to develop
appropriate technologies for increasing the efficiency of food and fiber production
while maintaining the long-term stability of the land resource. Whatever the goals,
implementation of new technologies ultimately rests with millions of individual
farmers. Each farmer and his farm is unique. How do we prescribe a technology
that is relevant to the land, labor, capital, and management resources of each
individual?
If, given a specified minimum set of soil-crop-weather and management data, it
were possible to predict the performance of a particular crop system at a particular
location, then it would be possible to predict an appropriate technology. This is an
attainable objective, but it requires major shifts in the prevailing logic and
methods of agricultural research (Nix 1968, 1976, 1979). Basically it requires a
shift in emphasis away from the currently dominant reductionist or analytical
approaches to holistic or synthesizing approaches. These two approaches are
complementary rather than competitive.
Adopting a systems approach emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary teamwork. Knowledge and insight from the range of biological, physical, social, and
economic disciplines become necessary. It formalizes what is known about crop
production systems — their more important components, processes, and feedback
mechanisms — and helps to identify significant, subtle constraints. Most importantly, the possible consequences (ecological, agronomic, economic) of introducing a new technology can be evaluated by using modeling and simulation techniques and field experiments designed to test model predictions...''
Source/publisher:
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Date of publication:
2018-12-25
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Rice, Other crops
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
4.74 MB
more
Description:
''It’s midday in Ashe Nge Toe and work is winding down for the day. U Sein Htun and some neighbors are gathered around a table in the shade under his house to chat over cups of green tea and tea leaf salad. In his front yard, the gains of the day’s labor — red chilies — have already been spread out across a large tarp to dry in the sun.
U Sein Htun has been a farmer for 33 years. Like most farmers in the area, his main crops are chili and onions. U Sein Htun also owns two paddy threshers which he rents out in return for baskets of rice, and he’s saving to purchase a tractor and plow, which he says he’ll be able to rent out for far more...''
Source/publisher:
Proximity Designs
Date of publication:
2018-09-18
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Rice, Other crops
Language:
English
more
Description:
This report provides a summary of key findings from research on food security and the agriculture sector in Myanmar. The focus is on material relevant for a bio-physical characterization of the country. As such, there is little emphasis on material primarily addressing socioeconomic, policy, or institutional aspects of agriculture and food security. This study is based solely on desk research, and it does not involve a field research component. The report is organized by topic, with each section including a bulleted list of significant summary points followed by a brief list of critical gaps or issues to explore during the field mission to Myanmar in November 2012.
Kye Baroang
Source/publisher:
Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development, Earth Institute at Columbia University
Date of publication:
2013-05-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-04-12
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Agriculture in Burma/Myanmar: general and research, Food Security - global and regional literature, Other crops, Rural development in Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.84 MB
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Description:
"This Situation Update describes events occurring in Bilin Township, Thaton District in October 2015, including updates on the 2015 general election, education, and development projects.
- Villages under the administration of the Burma/Myanmar government are able to vote in the 2015 general election. However, villages located in Karen National Union (KNU) controlled areas have not been adequately informed ahead of the election.
- Local Karen teachers selected to teach in villages have had to resign after Burma/Myanmar government teachers were sent to teach in Bilin Township, sparking concerns that Karen language education will be given less attention and taught outside of school hours.
- Heavy rain and floods damaged paddies, and, combined with an increase in the paddy price, caused livelihood concerns among some villagers.
- The main roads that have been under construction in Bilin Township since 2013 will be completed during 2016. Although useful for the villagers, the road construction has caused problems for some villagers whose lands have been damaged..."
Source/publisher:
Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication:
2016-02-25
Date of entry/update:
2016-04-10
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) reports, The 2015 General Elections in Burma/Myanmar, Education in Karen (Kayin) State, Other crops, Roads, Bridges
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
501.81 KB
Local URL:
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Description:
"The Ta?ang (Palaung) people are traditionally tea cultivators, however, they currently face economic hardship due to a decline in the tea market in 2011. Although the tea price was good and many tea traders bought tea during the Shwe Pyi Oo (first harvest), one week later the price of tea fell and just a few traders were buying tea. After that the tea market was very weak and tea production almost came to a halt. The Shwe Pyi Oo tea season occurs over one month from the end of March to the end of April, and is an important time for the livelihoods of the Ta?ang people. The majority of Ta?ang people who produce tea live in Namhsam, Mantong, Namtu, Namkham, Kutkai, western Kyaukmae and Thipaw in Northern Shan State. Tea production is the main source of income for over (600,000) six hundred thousand Ta?ang people. Because the main source of income of the Ta?ang people is in crisis and the monopoly of the regime, the local population is facing many related economic, social, educational and health problems. The new Burma?s military regime and other organizations have not addressed the crisis that the Ta?ang people are facing as a result of the decline of the tea industry. Therefore, the Ta?ang (Palaung) working group has produced this briefing paper about the problems that Ta?ang tea cultivators are facing. Our objective is to inform people and to help solve the problems that Ta?ang tea cultivators are facing in the Palaung area..."
Source/publisher:
Ta?ang (Palaung) Working Group - TSYO, PWO, PSLF
Date of publication:
2011-06-05
Date of entry/update:
2012-01-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Other crops
Language:
Burmese
Format :
pdf
Size:
395.84 KB
Local URL:
more
Description:
The Ta?ang (Palaung) people are traditionally tea cultivators,
however, they currently face economic hardship due to a
decline in the tea market in 2011. Although the tea price was
good and many tea traders bought tea during the Shwe Pyi Oo
(first harvest), one week later the price of tea fell and just a
few traders were buying tea. After that the tea market was
very weak and tea production almost came to a halt.
The Shwe Pyi Oo tea season occurs over one month from the
end of March to the end of April, and is an important time for
the livelihoods of the Ta?ang people. The majority of Ta?ang
people who produce tea live in Namhsam, Mantong, Namtu,
Namkham, Kutkai, western Kyaukmae and Thipaw in Northern
Shan State. Tea production is the main source of income for
over (600,000) six hundred thousand Ta?ang people.
Because the main source of income of the Ta?ang people is in
crisis and the monopoly of the regime, the local population is
facing many related economic, social, educational and health
problems.
The new Burma?s military regime and other organizations have
not addressed the crisis that the Ta?ang people are facing as a
result of the decline of the tea industry. Therefore, the Ta?ang
(Palaung) working group has produced this briefing paper
about the problems that Ta?ang tea cultivators are facing. Our
objective is to inform people and to help solve the problems
that Ta?ang tea cultivators are facing in the Palaung area.
Source/publisher:
Ta?ang (Palaung) Working Group - TSYO, PWO, PSLF
Date of publication:
2011-06-05
Date of entry/update:
2012-01-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Other crops
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
363.06 KB
Local URL:
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Description:
The political economy of Shan tea under British colonial rule.
"...Tawngpeng State, the major tea-producing area in the Federated Shan States, contained an area of 938 square miles. As of
1939 the population of Tawngpeng was 59,398 and it had a revenue of Rs. 645,634. The State was divided into 16 circles
which corresponded as closely as possible to clan-divisions. Geographic features were characterised by hills ranging from five
to seven thousand feet in height interspersed with valleys that averaged approximately ten miles in length and from a few
hundred yards to a few miles in width. Maurice Collis, a former Burma civil servant, noted that upon approaching Namhsan, the
capital of Tawngpeng which lies at the centre of the State at a height of six thousand feet, ?there is a vale and in the midst, ten
miles away, is a ridge, on one end of which stands the town of Nam Hsan with the palace over it on a circular hill....The vale is one vast tea garden?. On the lower levels of the hillsides, Palaungs and Shans grow tea whilst higher up Kachins and Lisus
practice shifting agriculture. Shans predominate in the valleys where rice is the staple crop..."
Robert Maule Department of History, University of Toronto
Source/publisher:
Thai-Yunnan Project Newsletter No. 14, September 1991
Date of publication:
1991-09-00
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Shan history, Economic History: Agriculture, Other crops
Language:
English
more