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Agriculture and Food Security in Myanmar

Agriculture and Food Security in Myanmar. Gary C. Jahn Agriculture Development Officer USAID. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Sources.

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Agriculture and Food Security in Myanmar

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  1. Agriculture and Food Securityin Myanmar Gary C. Jahn Agriculture Development Officer USAID The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

  2. Sources • Michigan State University / MDRI Agriculture and Food Security Diagnostic for Myanmar (USAID 2013) • USAID 2013 Land Tenure and Property Rights Assessment of Myanmar • ASH Center Studies 2009-2012 • ADB Agriculture Sector Assessment, Myanmar 2012-2014 • Discussion Paper No. 63. Agricultural Policies and Development of Myanmar’s Agriculture Sector (IDE 2006)

  3. Asia Source: http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/_derived/index.htm_txt_map-of-asia.gif

  4. Potential of Myanmar for Agriculture High Potential • Exceptional resources (water, land, location, climate) • Water: 10 times as much per capita as China and India; 2 times as much as Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh • Land: 14 million acres virgin and fallow; 83 million acres of forest • Strategic location: near major regional markets • Diverse ecosystems  diversification potential • Relatively low population pressure • High potential for increased land use

  5. Population Densities Source: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0934666.html

  6. How crowded is Myanmar?

  7. How crowded is Myanmar?

  8. How big is Myanmar? Source: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0934666.html

  9. Percentage of land used for agriculture by each country Source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.AGRI.ZS

  10. So how does Myanmar compare to the region? • GDP per capita? • Farm income? • % in poverty? • Food security: affordability, availability, safety? • Malnutrition?

  11. Low incomes, high poverty

  12. Status of Myanmar in Region Source: CIA World Factbook - accurate as of January 1, 2012 http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?v=67

  13. Food Security in Region Malaysia Vietnam India Myanmar Thailand Bangladesh Sri Lanka Pakistan Cambodia Nepal

  14. Malnutrition: Deaths per 100,000 Source: WHO, World Bank, UNESCO, CIA , country databases for global health and causes of death. http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/malnutrition/by-country/

  15. High levels of food insecurity: Stunting by state/region

  16. Lowest % of agricultural products imported (2010) Source: http://faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx; http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/200908302449/Related-news-from-Saudi/saudi-arabia-food-a-agricultural-imports-to-grow-by-25-in-2009.html

  17. Highest % of agricultural products imported (2010) Source: http://faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx; http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/barbados_news/182495.html; http://www.presstv.ir/detail/37413.html

  18. Poverty & food security indicators In Southeast Asia, Myanmar has: • Lowest GDP per capita, • Low food affordability and availability • High malnutrition, • Lowest farm incomes • High import of agricultural products

  19. Historical Agricultural Performance • Example: rice & bean exports http://www.myspace.com/123945320/photos/11106187#%7B%22ImageId%22%3A11106187%7D

  20. World’s Top Rice Exporters 1961 Source: http://faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx

  21. World’s Top Rice Exporters Today Source: http://faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx

  22. World’s top Bean Exporters 1961

  23. World’s Top Bean Exporters Today Source: http://faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx

  24. Myanmar rice production

  25. Rice production (millions of tons) ~8 million ha paddy ~5 million ha paddy

  26. Why did beans out-perform rice in Myanmar? Fujita & Okamoto (2006) found: • After 1988, sluggish growth in all crops covered by policy constraints • But a self-sustaining increase in output of crops outside the remit of agricultural policy • Today pulses and beans are Myanmar’s largest export item

  27. What were these policies? In the socialist period: • Farmers required to sell rice to government at below market prices • A system of rationing cheap rice to consumers through shops and cooperatives • Subsidized transport for rice – lowering price in boader areas • Government monopoly on rice exports

  28. What was the result? • Link between supply & demand broken • Domestic rice prices & farm income kept artificially low • Farmers had no incentive (or means) to increase production; • Remote areas lacked incentive to produce cheap rice • No market driven demand for improved technology

  29. What about beans? • No compulsory sales to government at below market price. • No rationing • No government export monopoly • Bean prices rose in response to increased demand inside AND outside Myanmar • Production rose in response to increase demand for beans; demand for technology

  30. Why is agricultural productivity low? • Poor policies • Poor water control • High transport and transaction costs • Conflict • Land access, ownership, use • Limited budgets for key supporting ministries • Structure of agricultural support institutions • Traders well-organized, farmers not • Weak data

  31. Let’s discuss current agricultural policies and how they are affecting agricultural development and food security.

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