Dry Zone Milestones

The ‘Farmer Centred’ approach has been practiced by Network Activities Group (NAG) since 2011 for Livelihood Improvement of the landless, vulnerable and small holder farmers under different projects, namely Building Resilience Livelihood Project (BRLP), Regional Food Security Governance Project (RFSG), Innovative Model of Resilient Food Security Governance Project (IMRFSG). Pulses, People, Planet and Profit Project (P-4) , Resilient Community Economy and Organization of Sustainable Production in Dry Zone (Sesame, Peanut, Bean Resilient Community Economic and Sustainable Production Organization, SAFE-CROPS Project), Reallocation and Development of Concession Land Project (REAL-DEV), Sustainable Access to Safe Drinking Water in Myanmar Project (SASDW), and  Regional Resilient Livelihood Project (RRLP).

All projects aim to support NAG’s inclusive value chain model with four key aspects: improve productivity and product quality, assure quality extension, training and certification (GAP/Organic etc.), linking with the private sector for inputs, marketing of products and loan access.

At all stages of the inclusive value chain model, the Regional Farmer Development Association (RFDA), an umbrella body at the State and Regional level consisting of several Township Farmer Development Associations, in which representatives are carefully elected with clear terms of references who are responsible around organizing, communication, extensions and facilitation of their members, plays a key role in organizing, planning and implementation of all value chain work including on-farm planning of sown acres, organizing farmers and determining agro-chemical needs, engaging with input suppliers, financial institutions and collectors. The RFDA also organizes seed producers’ groups, training them in seed production and seeking certification from the Department of Agriculture. Quality seeds are then stored for distribution next cropping season.

Thinning WeedingThe RFDA successfully facilitated collective purchasing of (1174.66 Million MMKs) worth agro-chemical inputs, total of (2070.45 Million MMKs) bank loan borrowed by member farmers and total of (2534.79 Metric Tons) of Sesame, (3959.78 Metric Tons) of Mung Bean, and (549.5 Metric Tons) of groundnuts sold for export. The RFDA facilitated in saving costs of (34.27 Million MMKs) for agro-chemical and (311.63 Million MMKs) through bank loan.