Myanmar's Long Road to National Reconciliation (27 page)

When deciding which crop to grow, the farmer’s decision is influenced by factors such as transportation costs, fluctuating market demand, government policies, fertilizer costs and availability, and the risk of poor-quality products deteriorating before reaching the distant market. New road-works and bridges are helping to increase the marketing options for farmers by reducing the time between harvest and consumption.

Maximizing the farmers’ profit margin needs information and business guidance at local, national, and international level. Farmers will respond quickly if they have access to better and more timely information about market conditions for their crops, but this calls for innovative measures to overcome gaps in communication infrastructure.

The current accelerated development and expansion of land under irrigation in Myanmar will inevitably result in land and water degradation
problems. Land degradation includes soil erosion, salinization, rural tree decline, soil nutrient depletion, soil structure decline, soil biological decline, soil acidification, and rising water tables. The final stage of land degradation is a barren unproductive land. With an increasing population to feed, the country cannot afford to allow such degradation to occur. During a recent visit to Myanmar, we observed that some of these problems have already started to occur.

New development projects in Myanmar have environmental protection programs built into them. This is not only a responsibility of the government; the whole community must actively take part in such programs. At the local level there is now greater awareness about these problems, but a more concerted approach, through appropriate education and training, legislation and regulation, by the central government is needed.

The lessons and experience gained through the “Land Care” movement in Australia would be a good model to introduce to the intensive farming areas and the highland areas in Myanmar.

International trade and market opportunities for developing countries are likely to be enhanced as a result of the Doha Development Agenda for world trade, where the major focus of negotiation is agriculture. Since 1 July 2003, Australia has provided tariff- and quota-free entry and a preferential trade system for goods from the least developed countries. Myanmar is a member of the World Trade Organization, and it has been suggested that Myanmar could become an important export destination for Australian goods in the long term if economic development, political stability, and the inflow of tourists lead to demand for high-value food products.
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One of the important roles of Australian aid in helping a developing country is to support investment in health, education, agriculture, and public infrastructure. Australia’s international aid policies focus on assisting developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable economic development.
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Generally, the international aid agencies give preference to humanitarian assistance that focuses on health and education. Food security and agricultural development should be in the forefront of humanitarian
assistance, because many health problems arise from food shortages and poor nutrition.

An intensive agricultural development program, with education, research, and extension as the main components leading to the improvement of agribusiness, could lay the foundations for sustained improvement in social, economic, and environmental conditions in Myanmar. The authors’ optimism is based on an appreciation of the skills and enthusiasm of key agriculturalists in Myanmar, who are eminently capable of implementing worthwhile projects. However, the agricultural sector in Myanmar needs the support and financial backing of the international community to develop up-to-date agricultural education and training programs, to build essential infrastructure, supply equipment, and promote human resource development.

Actions such as the signing of an MOU between Yezin Agricultural University (YAU) and Charles Sturt University (CSU) in 2002 demonstrate that collaboration between Myanmar and foreign agricultural organizations, in Australia, Europe, and Asia, is already occurring, despite some international barriers. It is time for the international community to work with Myanmar to help it develop a productive, viable, and sustainable agricultural sector.

In early 2004, Ms Tamara Jackson and Ms Jennifer Hardwicke, two of CSU’s top final-year agricultural students, visited YAU and attended a few YAU classes. They commented in their internal report that the lecturers were highly committed, the subject content was more comprehensive than for similar subjects delivered in Australia, and that the coursework was studied in more depth. The weaknesses they noted were in the laboratory and library facilities.

Staff from CSU who have visited Myanmar concluded that Yezin Agricultural University has a wealth of potential at all levels; there is excellent leadership, and a capable and enthusiastic staff, many with experience and linkages gained from postgraduate training in Europe, USA, Asia, and Australia. Younger staff members are very willing to invest in their own futures if the opportunity is available.
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Active collaboration between CSU, YAU, and the various sections of MOAI would be enhanced by international support, which underpins
exchanges of staff and students between the two countries and provides some essential equipment for undergraduate training and postgraduate research.

In the first instance there should be a focus on increasing rice production (yield per hectare) and water use efficiency (yield per megalitre of water). These goals are relevant in both Myanmar and Australia, and the collaboration would create a synergy that would benefit both nations. While there are many new water storages in Myanmar, careful use of this “new” water is essential if crop production is to be maximized and environmental damage minimized. Optimum utilization of the new facilities will require many well-trained and highly motivated staff. Improvements in the profitability of rice farmers would have flow-on effects to their rural communities.

CSU has considerable expertise in rice production, teaching, and research, and so is in a strong position to develop and deliver undergraduate subjects and short training courses in conjunction with YAU and MOAI staff. It would also be logical for CSU to be involved in the supervision of postgraduate projects. We envisage post-graduate students undertaking research and study involving time spent in each country, to enhance the learning experience and to establish linkages for future expansion of the program. It is also important to note that CSU has strong links, through the rice industry and the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sustainable Rice Production, with experts in the fields of rice genetics, agronomy, weed and pest control, low-cost crop assessment, fertilizer management, cold tolerance, sustainability, eating quality, storage and marketing, and economics.

For the best long-term gain, we suggest that a balance of basic and practical projects is essential at the postgraduate level. CSU has already been approached by several excellent candidates willing to undertake postgraduate projects in the fields of rice, water, and pathology.

Myo Win
offers the following observations on the real situation of Myanmar’s agriculture and rural development.

1.  
Finance and capital.
Myanmar farmers know how to achieve higher yield and quality but lack finance or the capital to buy the best
seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and farm machinery. In the 1940s and the 1950s, rice farmers were doing well with 1.5 tonne-per-hectare yields, because there was no need for fertilizers or expensive agricultural chemicals. Cattle manure was sufficient to maintain the fertility of paddy fields. The problems came when high-yielding varieties that required more inputs were introduced, and the majority of farmers could not afford the additional costs.

2.  
Agricultural knowledge and skill.
Most Myanmar farmers have sufficient local knowledge and skill in crop production. However, increasing population and increased demand for imported items have brought pressure to produce more food for local consumption and for export. The use of high-yielding varieties, as well as being more costly, requires higher inputs and special management technique skills.

3.  
Agricultural and Rural Development.
By 2001 it was possible to see the big leap in agricultural activity and development that had taken place along the Ayeyarwaddy River basin. The construction of dams, bridges, roads, and irrigation canals in recent years had increased cropping areas. Farming of more kinds of livestock (particularly ducks) and of fish are carried out during the summer season, which traditionally was a period between crops.

4.  
International aid and investment.
In most of the agricultural areas, basic infrastructure, such as roads and water storages for irrigation, have been built, but there is still a need for international aid and investments in agro-industries. Removing sanctions and providing aid are a long-term investment strategy for agricultural and rural development in Myanmar.
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5.  
Future Challenges.
In line with the future challenges identified by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, Myanmar’s future food security and improvement of farming systems need to consider the following items.
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•   improving information for early warning forecasting systems for food and agriculture;

•   improving information on the trading system at both national and international levels;

•   the need for diversification of agricultural crops for both local consumption and export;

•   improving post-harvest processing and storage, and transportation to markets;

•   creating non-farming employment opportunities for the rural poor;

•   the adoption of participatory agricultural extension for the transfer of environmentally acceptable technology and know-how to farmers;

•   developing cooperation among agriculture, horticulture, and livestock units, and inland fisheries, for capacity-building, education, and research and development;

•   all development programs must follow natural resource planning and conservation principles to prevent soil and water degradation;

•   the agriculture sector in Myanmar has the potential to be the engine for rapid and sustained national economic growth, poverty reduction, and the generation of surplus for reinvestment in infrastructure and industrialization.

Graeme Batten
offers the following comments on the opportunities for collaboration between Australia and Myanmar.

1.   There is a willingness by staff at CSU and YAU and within the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation to collaborate;

2.   Collaboration will promote leaning opportunities for both countries;

3.   The window of opportunity is closing as senior staff retire and young, less-well trained and less-experienced staff must replace them;

4.   International exposure for Myanmar staff and visits by CSU staff to Myanmar are essential to enable Myanmar to develop more productive, water-efficient agriculture in the future;

5.   Some of the technology applied in Australia may not be suitable in Myanmar, especially where many small holdings are the norm, and it will have to be adapted, using local knowledge and experts;

6.   CSU staff have experience in tropical and arid zone agriculture, especially rice production, through projects with several Asian countries and strong links with the International Rice Research Institute;

7.   The best way to advance agriculture is to learn together, after pooling each other’s knowledge, enthusiasm, and experiences.

This paper was based on our experience gained during our recent visits to Myanmar. We would like to thank U Tin Htut Oo, the Director General of the Department of Agricultural Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (DAP-MOAI) and his staff for their hospitality during our two visits in December 2002 and February 2004. We would also like to thank Professor Dr Kyaw Than, Rector, and his staff at Yezin Agricultural University for looking after us during our both visits to YAU.

Special thanks also go to Professor Yi Yi Myint and Daw Khin Oo of YAU for looking after CSUs’ two final-year agricultural students, Ms Tamara Jackson and Ms Jennifer Hardwick, during their 2004 visit to YAU. Their visit and meeting with young future Myanmar farmers and agricultural scientists have given them a great impression of the people and of the potential of the country.

Finally, we thank Mr Trevor Wilson for his valuable assistance in preparing this paper.

¹
   Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., “Global Launch of the 2003 Human Development Report”, Government Buildings, Dublin, 8 July 2003, United Nations Development Programme, Human Developments Report 2003. Available at:
http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/taoiseach.html
; accessed 22 June 2005.

²
   Kan Zaw, “All-round Development in Myanmar”, Seminar on Understanding Myanmar, held at Yangon ICT Park, 27–28 January 2004.