IRRC: Myanmar 2011

Rice Situation Myanmar has 58.5 million people and harvests 8.1 million hectares of rice annually. In 2010, production was approximately 31 million metric tons, of which about 1 million mt is exported. Current Activities Best practices for lowland rice production verification, validation, and farmer participatory researchin 4 Divisions: Ayeyarwaddy, Mandalay, West Bago, Yangon Socio-economic studies of factors influencing adoption of technologies, and collection of data for assessing the impact of adoption Assistance with capacity building for natural resource management technologies Collaborative research on alternate wetting and drying, direct seeding, weed control Outscaling of postharvest technologies, dryers and hermetic storage, support to establishing local distributors and manufacturers. Household Survey Data Ayeyarwaddy Delta at 3 localities in 2006collected information on knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and input-output data, for the management of nutrients, water, crop establishment, weeds and rodents, and postharvest issues. Outcomes and Impacts Partnerships with the private sector have resulted in effective adoption by end users of over 50 flat-bed dryers. On average, 105 farmers per village benefited each season by using the dryer; this led to better quality rice and higher prices for smallholder farmers. The IRRC Country Outreach Program generated strong policy interestthe Director General, Department of Agricultural Planning, has regularly been briefed. In February 2011, the IRRC met with the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and discussed IRRC technologies.
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Linkages to national initiatives and with other projects (and donors)

National climate change initiative: Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Ecosystems and IRRC co-hosted a national workshop in Nay Pyi Taw in February 2011. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research-Australian Agency for International Development multidisciplinary program to Improve Food Security and Farmer Livelihoods in Myanmar; IRRI through the IRRC is coordinator of the component Diversification and Intensification of Rice-based Systems in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta. Training and technical support to the United Nations Development Programmes Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) program

Key IRRI Scientists Roland Buresh (nutrient management) Martin Gummert (postproduction) David Johnson (crop establishment, adaptive research, weed management) Rubenito Lampayan (water management) Florencia Palis (sociology; impact assessment) Grant Singleton (IRRC NRM outreach, adaptive research, rodent management)

Produced by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium Coordination Unit

IRRC: Myanmar 2011

Key Partner Agencies Mr Maung Maung Yi, General Manager, Projects Planning, Management and Evaluation Division, Myanma Agriculture Service is on the IRRC Steering Committee. Government Institutions Agriculture Extension Division, Myanma Agriculture Service (MAS) Land Use Division, MAS Plant Protection Division, MAS Projects Planning, Management and Evaluation Division, MAS Department of Agricultural Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Department of Agricultural Research Civil Society Organizations GRET Mercy Corp Welthungerhilfe Private Sector Companies Pioneer Postharvest Development Group Myanmar Rice and Paddy Traders Association (changed name in 2011) Universities Yezin Agricultural University

For more information Contact person: Trina Leah Mendoza, Senior Communication Specialist Email: t.mendoza@cgiar.org Web site: www.irri.org/irrc

Produced by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium Coordination Unit