Sustainable rice production in Myanmar impacts on food security and livelihood changes

Connor, Melanie; Quilloy, Reianne; Guia, Annalyn H. de; Singleton, Grant R.

doi:10.1080/14735903.2021.1918471

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…In this regard, improving rice farming in Myanmar necessitates better knowledge diffusion and the dissemination of sustainable practices and technologies. It has been shown that the quality of advisory and extension services is an important determinant for knowledge transfer (Cawley et al, 2019;Danso-Abbeam et al, 2018;Mtega and Ngoepe, 2018) and that adoption is the basis of technical change (Connor et al, 2021a;Glover et al, 2016). The element of time is considered crucial in the context of adoption and diffusion of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) (Rogers, 2003;Sunding and Zilberman, 2001) and adaptive research strategies with participatory approaches can support the reconfiguration of farmer practices (Flor et al, 2017(Flor et al, , 2021Palis et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thant et al (2020) highlight that for broader adoption of HYVs it is necessary to not only focus on yield increases but consider farmers' desired attributes. In relation to this, Connor et al (2021a) Improved rice varieties that are well adapted to soil conditions, tolerant to droughts, floods, and salinity, and achieve higher yields. They show a high response to chemical fertilizers, are shorter with stiff straw compared to traditional varieties, and mature faster.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thant et al (2020) highlight that for broader adoption of HYVs it is necessary to not only focus on yield increases but consider farmers’ desired attributes. In relation to this, Connor et al (2021a) examined rice farmers’ adoption behaviour of sustainable practices and perceived livelihood changes. They found that profitability increased due to yield growth and reduced input and labour costs, but farmers would not adopt a practice if it was too expensive or unsuitable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several development programmes together with the Myanmar Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture Research began in 2012 (Connor et al, 2021a). The present study is embedded in the ‘Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint’ project (CORIGAP) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (IRRI 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The present study is embedded in the ‘Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint’ project (CORIGAP) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (IRRI 2018). A multitude of BMPs has been introduced to more than 10’000 farmers through adaptive research activities (Connor et al, 2021a; Singleton and Labios, 2019). Farmers received information and were trained on improved rice varieties through participatory varietal selection (Rahman et al, 2015), pre- and post-emergence herbicides (Singleton and Labios, 2019), enhanced nutrient and water management use as well as ecologically-based pest management (insects, rodents, weeds) (Lampayan et al, 2015; Singleton and Labios, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rural development and transformation of the rice sector in Myanmar: Introduction of best management practices for sustainable rice agriculture

et al. 2022

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Myanmar has experienced considerable economic and social changes since its political transition in the early 2010s. Its agriculture sector has demonstrated rapid intensification and modernization. Agricultural best management practices (BMPs), e.g., drum seeders and laser land levelling, were introduced to rice farmers in Bago Region in 2012 to increase sustainable production and counter negative environmental impacts. The objective of this study was to determine the socioeconomic and agronomic changes due to the adoption of BMPs between adopters and non-adopters. Using a digital survey questionnaire application to collect household data, 200 farmers in eight villages were interviewed in 2012 and 2017. Data were analysed using uni- and multivariate statistics. Mediation analysis was utilized to evaluate the effect of the farmer group on rice yields. Overall, all farmers in this study experienced substantial positive changes over the course of five years in line with the national development efforts. Differences among adopters and non-adopters were not significant, but notable distinctions existed between cropping patterns. Rice-pulse farmers had higher yields ( + 0.4 t/ha), yet rice-rice farmers had larger cultivation areas, received higher agricultural credits, and had superior income levels. Nevertheless, rice yields remained low (<4 t/ha). Education was found to be an important predictor of yield. Hence, this factor is crucial for accelerating agricultural development in Myanmar. Improving extension services and knowledge transfer are necessary to expand the dissemination of sustainable BMPs and make farmers more resilient against the negative implications of climate change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rural development and transformation of the rice sector in Myanmar: Introduction of best management practices for sustainable rice agriculture

et al. 2022

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Introduction—How Swiss Foreign Aid for International Development Benefits Agricultural Development Across Asia

Wehmeyer,

Singleton,

Connor

2023

Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia

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In most of South and South East Asia and the Pacific, (For geographical descriptions, CGIAR regions are used. https://www.cgiar.org/research/cgiar-regions/) rice is the staple food crop. It is predominantly cultivated by smallholder farmers. Although the Green Revolution has modernized rice agriculture considerably, farmers today face the consequences of decades-long unsustainable natural resource use. Environmental degradation has become prevalent and climate change is exacerbating the current challenges. In this context, the diffusion of agricultural best management practices and technologies is crucial for ensuring rural livelihoods and global food security. The ‘Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint’ (CORIGAP) project (2013–2023) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) aimed to improve rice farmers’ productivity and profitability in five South East Asian countries and one South Asian country by disseminating sustainable agriculture practices and technologies. The Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (1997–2012), also funded by the SDC, provided a strong platform for the CORIGAP project with national partners already in place in five of the six countries. As of 2022, more than 780,000 farmers were reached through CORIGAP. Mean rice yield and mean income increased by more than 10% for smallholder families. Through CORIGAP, SDC provided a strong platform for farmers to adopt best management practices for producing lowland irrigated rice. These practices, in turn, significantly reduced the use of pesticides, increased the efficiency of nutrient and water use, and decreased postharvest losses.

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Environmental, Social, and Economic Challenges in Lowland Rice Production

Connor,

Malabayabas,

de Guia

et al. 2023

Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia

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The CORIGAP project was implemented in six main rice granaries in South and Southeast Asia. The project introduced several country-specific sustainable best management practices, including nutrient management, pest management, water management, and several postharvest technologies, among other specific practices. This chapter introduces each country and its respective challenges to rice production. It outlines cultivation practices, historical developments, and their impacts on opportunities for the development of the rice sector. This is accompanied by specific case studies that highlight the adoption of specific technologies and practices. Case studies encompass the adoption of various best management practices in Myanmar and Thailand, especially postharvest technologies. Furthermore, the chapter highlights the outreach of “One Must Do, Five Reductions” in Vietnam, the development and implementation of the “Three Controls Technology” and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) practices in China, rodent pest management in Indonesia, and weed and water management in Sri Lanka. These case studies identified positive agronomic, social, and economic changes. The chapter concludes by harnessing the agricultural development strategies in each country with a synthesis of outcomes and impacts.

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Sustainable rice production in Myanmar impacts on food security and livelihood changes

Cited by 10 publications

References 28 publications

Rural development and transformation of the rice sector in Myanmar: Introduction of best management practices for sustainable rice agriculture

Rural development and transformation of the rice sector in Myanmar: Introduction of best management practices for sustainable rice agriculture

Introduction—How Swiss Foreign Aid for International Development Benefits Agricultural Development Across Asia

Environmental, Social, and Economic Challenges in Lowland Rice Production

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