Agriculture & Forestry
From The Report: Myanmar 2018
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While it has gradually reaped the rewards of diversification efforts to end overreliance on rice, Myanmar’s agriculture sector is now at a crucial juncture. Although progress has been made, structural impediments continue to weigh on farming output. However, a new development strategy is expected to enhance sector monitoring, boost production, and improve the industry’s regional and global competitiveness. Investment in infrastructure and processing capacity has the potential to transform the nation into an exporter of higher-quality agricultural products that could open the door to more varied overseas markets, with trade diversification taking on increasing importance due to India’s new agriculture import quotas. This chapter contains interviews with U Win Aung, Chairman, Dagon Group of Companies; and Gerhard Hartzenberg, Managing Director, New Holland Agriculture.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

From farm to fork: Challenges are being addressed to transform the sector into an engine of growth
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While it has gradually reaped the rewards of diversification efforts to end over-reliance on rice, Myanmar’s agriculture sector is now at a crucial juncture. Although progress has been made, structural impediments continue to weigh on farming output. However, a new development strategy is expected to enhance sector monitoring, boost production, and improve the industry’s regional and global competitiveness. Investment in infrastructure and processing capacity has the potential to transform the…

Interview

Cultivating value: U Win Aung, Chairman, Dagon Group of Companies, on empowering local farmers and ensuring the sector’s prosperity
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Interview:U Win Aung, Chairman What can be done to improve the efficiency of Myanmar’s supply chain of agricultural products? U WIN AUNG: Around 70% of the population is still directly or indirectly involved in agriculture, meaning that most of the country’s household income comes from the sector. Given its relevance to Myanmar’s economy, agriculture has to be a political and investment priority for the government, local companies and the industrial sector. At the same time, fomenting…

Analysis

New vision: Strategy aims for sector transformation in the form of higher yields and inclusive, sustainable expansion
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In a bid to consolidate various development plans under one common strategy, the government is working with several development partners to create an agriculture master plan for sustainable growth. Drafted with the help of the Asian Development Bank, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund, the Agricultural Development Strategy and Investment Plan (ADS) aims to secure more international market share by increasing cooperation between the private and…

Interview

Potential for growth: Gerhard Hartzenberg, Managing Director, New Holland Agriculture, on modern techniques in local farming
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Interview:Gerhard Hartzenberg With the introduction of modern farming techniques, what role do you expect Myanmar to play in Asia’s future food security? GERHARD HARTZENBERG: Looking at the current structure of Myanmar’s economy, agriculture is one of the most promising sectors for both domestic and foreign investors. The country has extremely fertile land, which allows farmers to grow almost any type of crop. The agricultural potential is historically well documented as Myanmar used…

Analysis

Revving up: Modernising smallholder farms will help boost production
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With a view to achieving shared prosperity from increased food exports, development partners are working with the government to increase rice production and encourage the adoption of appropriate mechanisation in the agricultural value chain. Myanmar’s crop output is currently dominated by small-scale rice farmers, who operate with little knowledge of modern cultivation methods. Seeing as production averages are far lower than those achieved regionally, an increase in the provision of machinery…