The government is providing non-depreciable, sustainable funds from the National Economic Development Fund to promote the development of the livestock industry and meet the capital needs of breeders.
State Administration Council
Chairman, Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Senior General
Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing sent a message
to the ceremony to mark the Peasants’ Day, which falls on 2 March 2025. The
full text of the translated message is as follows: –
Esteemed farmers,
I frankly extended my greetings
with best wishes for farmers nationwide to be auspicious with physical and
mental well-being on the 63rd Anniversary of Peasants’ Day of the Republic of
the Union of Myanmar, which falls on 2 March 2025.
I especially take pride in the
endeavours and performances of farmers engaged in agriculture and livestock
breeding, as they play a pivotal role in ensuring food security for the ethnic
people. Therefore, I would like to pray for the farmers’ economic growth
alongside the nation’s surging agricultural and livestock industries.
The State Administration Council is
implementing the Five-Point Roadmap. Of them, “Continued efforts will be made
to promote the state economy and enhance the socioeconomic situation of all
people through expediting manufacturing businesses rooted in agriculture and
livestock to benefit the entire nation” is one of the five points of the
roadmap. To ensure national prosperity and food security, efforts are being
made to develop the agriculture and livestock sectors using modern techniques,
promote MSME industries to enhance exports and increase the yield of oil crops
to achieve self-sufficiency and enable exports. These three key economic
objectives have been set, and both short-term and long-term plans are being
formulated and implemented accordingly.
The key requirement for the
socioeconomic development of farmers is increasing crop yields. Therefore, the
government prioritizes efforts to achieve target production rates for crops. In
implementing these efforts, various measures are being taken, including the use
of high-quality and pure seeds, systematic land improvement, proper and timely
application of synthetic and organic fertilizers to enhance soil fertility,
ensuring adequate irrigation, and adopting proper cultivation techniques. These
efforts collectively follow the “Four Key Factors” approach – seeds, soil,
water, and technique – to ensure comprehensive and effective agricultural
development. To further increase crop production and maximize yields,
intercropping and multiple cropping systems, such as double and triple
cropping, are being implemented based on regional and seasonal conditions.
Striving to achieve target goals
for crops grown in currently cultivated farmland and working towards doubling
or tripling yields will not only increase farmers’ income but also contribute
to national economic growth.
To ensure that senior farmers can
easily access and cultivate high-quality, pure seeds, extensive seed-production
initiatives are being implemented. In addition to establishing special seed
production zones, annual seed exhibitions are also held to facilitate research
on high-quality, pure seeds and yield improvement.
To prevent the degradation and loss
of essential soil for crop cultivation, it is necessary to adopt various
farming methods. These include using a combination of chemical and natural
fertilizers, planting cover crops, growing windbreak trees, practicing crop
rotation, implementing terrace farming in hilly regions, utilizing contour
farming techniques, and adopting agroforestry systems that integrate crops with
trees. Additionally, to enhance soil fertility, the use of natural fertilizers
such as manure (cow and chicken dung), EM Bokashi compost, fish amino acids,
and green fertilizers like water hyacinths should be encouraged. Other soil
improvement techniques, such as planting green manure crops and incorporating
them into the soil, are also being promoted.
Not only is this being carried out,
but to ensure that farmers have access to high-quality and fairly priced
agricultural inputs, fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides are regulated through
laws and regulations. Moreover, the government, private businesses, and
organizations are collaborating to implement these efforts. Furthermore,
support is being provided through the National Economic Development Fund in
coordination with input supply companies.
The irrigation system plays a
crucial role in ensuring the success of crop cultivation and the development of
rural areas. Therefore, the national government is prioritizing investments in
irrigation projects. Across Myanmar, a total of 880 irrigation structures have
been implemented, including 246 dams, 144 diversion dams, 72 lakes, 199 sluice
gates, and 219 water pumping stations. These projects currently benefit over
3.1 million acres of cultivated land. Additionally, in areas facing water
scarcity, 25,769 tube wells have been drilled to utilize underground water
resources and underground water storage dams are being constructed.
Furthermore, solar-powered water pumping systems are being installed in
temporary weirs to provide irrigation water. To mitigate flooding and prevent
seawater intrusion, flood protection embankments and saltwater barriers are
being built. Other efforts include dredging canals, streams, riverbanks, and
drainage channels to improve water management.
Agricultural knowledge
dissemination is being carried out through various methods to ensure that
research findings, modern technologies, high-quality seeds, pure strains, and
effective farming techniques are accepted and adopted by farmers. Multiple approaches
are being used to provide agricultural education, including broadcasting
through the “Farmers’ Channel”, the “Agricultural Knowledge” programme on
Myawady TV, and the “Agricultural Technology Knowledge Programme” on Myanmar
Radio. Furthermore, information is being shared in ethnic languages and through
journals and newspapers such as the Doh Kyay Ywa Journal.
Furthermore, the use of the
internet enables real-time access to agricultural technologies and information,
allowing farmers to easily learn about the farming techniques they need.
I would like to emphasize the
importance of making efforts to reduce the import of palm oil, ensuring
sufficient domestic production and consumption of healthier edible oils. To
achieve this, it is essential to cultivate and produce oilseed crops such as
peanuts, sesame, and sunflowers as planned and to strive for the targeted
yield.
The raw cotton produced by our
country’s agricultural sector is sufficient for domestic consumption. However,
we are still importing yarn from abroad. To reduce imports of yarn, yarn-based
products, and garments while meeting domestic demand with high-quality local
production, special cotton cultivation zones are being established. These zones
aim to achieve a yield of 700 visses per acre and produce high-quality cotton
and lint. To manufacture quality yarn and textiles from locally produced
cotton, efforts are being made to upgrade cotton-related industries, including
ginning mills, spinning mills, and textile factories. In addition, support is
being provided to develop cotton-based industries and MSMEs (Micro-, Small-,
and Medium-sized Enterprises). It is encouraged that domestic textile needs
should be sufficiently met with locally grown cotton, and citizens should
prioritize using locally made garments.
With regard to the private sector,
MSME businesses involved in the production of various food products, such as
rice, corn, oilseed crops, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, can add value by
processing and manufacturing these goods. Moreover, industries producing raw
materials like coffee, rubber, bamboo, rattan, medicinal herbs, and palm oil
can enhance their output. Through the efforts of private entrepreneurs,
high-value products can be produced, enabling efficient production and sale in
the market, which will increase farmers’ incomes and improve their living
standards.
The government is actively
fulfilling the necessary human resource requirements to support the development
of the agricultural sector and promote agricultural activities. In this regard,
15 agricultural and livestock Institutes have been established and are being
operated. These institutions have produced skilled professionals in the
mid-level agricultural and livestock sectors. In collaboration with Basic
Education High Schools, vocational training programmes in agriculture and
livestock are being offered. Starting from the 2023-2024 academic year,
vocational schools in agriculture and livestock were opened, and currently, a
total of 85 schools have been established.
Esteemed peasants,
Since agriculture is closely
related to livestock farming, I would like to emphasize the importance of
promoting livestock development. The production and breeding of animals such as
cattle, fish, milk, chicken eggs, duck eggs, and quail eggs, which provide
essential nutrients, is crucial for ensuring people’s nutritional needs. The
nation needs to support the expansion of livestock industries, including the
breeding of dairy cows and beef cattle and the development of high-yielding,
quality breeds. The establishment of livestock zones for the production of
cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, goats, and sheep, along with the support for the
production of high-quality milk and dairy products, is a key part of these
efforts.
Through the combination of
agriculture and animal husbandry, the aim is to improve the social and economic
lives of rural communities by establishing emerald green (livestock) villages
and ensuring success. This includes distributing high-quality, resilient cattle
breeds that can withstand seasonal weather conditions, providing animal feed
and medicines to disaster-prone areas, administering vaccines for animal
diseases, controlling and treating outbreaks, and conducting research to
monitor and prevent diseases.
The government is providing
non-depreciable, sustainable funds from the National Economic Development Fund
to promote the development of the livestock industry and meet the capital needs
of breeders. The government also supports projects such as the Emerald Green
project, comprising of breeding chicken and duck broilers and pig programmes.
Moreover, plans for dairy cattle, beef cattle, layers, sheep, and goat farming
continue to be implemented.
As a sector, during the 2023-2024
financial year, fish and shrimp production reached 6,320,070 metric tonnes. The
sector was able to export approximately 322 types of aquatic products,
amounting to 522,570 metric tonnes, to 40 foreign trade partner countries. The
majority of these exports were primarily aimed at fulfilling domestic fish
consumption needs. Efforts have also been made to ensure that rural citizens
and fish farmers understand and implement basic fish farming techniques to
generate regular income. This includes educating them on fish vaccination,
breeding, and other fish farming practices. For families with fish ponds,
services have been provided for inspecting and maintaining the health of fish
and shrimp, ensuring disease control, and issuing health certificates to
guarantee that aquatic products can be exported abroad without diseases.
Esteemed peasants,
The government, taking into account
the interests of farmers, established the Agricultural and Livestock
Development Commission on 18 December 2024 to accelerate the development of the
agriculture and livestock sectors. The commission is working to enhance and
implement effective activities that will benefit farmers’ agricultural
operations across various sectors, ensuring comprehensive and sustainable
development.
In conclusion, I would like to
express my deepest gratitude and respect to the hardworking farmers who, with
unwavering dedication and effort, have ensured not only domestic food security
but also the ability to export agricultural and livestock products. Despite
numerous challenges, they have consistently carried out their tasks with
strength and efficiency. To promote the economic development of the country and
the long-term growth of agricultural activities, it is essential to combine all
the resources, including the physical labour, knowledge, determination, modern
technologies, land, and water contributed by our farmers. We must work
together, united and committed, to achieve the desired outcomes for the
sustainable development of our agricultural sector.
Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray
Sithu
Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung
Hlaing
Prime Minister
Chairman, State Administration
Council
#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar
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