Fostering Livelihood Progress: Enhancing Capacity of local farmers

Two years after the disaster, livelihoods of affected people in delta remain in need of further support to regain the Pre-Nargis condition. One of MRCS's various efforts to address challenges encountered in livelihood sector is capacity building of the local farmers.

An agricultural training was conducted by MRCS at Kyauk Chaung Village of Kyauk Chaung Village Tract in Haigyi Kyun Sub-Township from 1 June to 3 June 2010. The training was facilitated by 2 agronomists from Agriculture Department and 2 livelihoods technicians from MRCS's hub office. Sixty farmers from villages in Kyauk Chaung Village Tract and Haigyi Ward 3 participated in the training.

'When Nargis hit our village, I was in the field harvesting beans. My house collapsed and the roof was blown off. The barn where food and seed were stored toppled down so seeds got soaked and spoiled with rainwater. Now I'm on the list of farmers whom MRCS will deliver paddy seedlings. Moreover, I have got a chance to attend such a useful training' said U Soe Nyein, one of the participants of the training and 41-year old farmer from Kyauk Chaung Village.

The Training will surely benefit the famers as they will be able to use techniques to boost the crop yield so that not their income but the food security of the region will be improved.

'I've never had the proper knowledge on how and when to use the fertilizer. As I put fertilizer in my field in my own way, it has not been effective. Now, I've gained a lot of knowledge from the training' U Chit Than, 45-year old farmer from Kan Chaing Village expressed his thanks to MRCS.

MRCS has conducted similar agricultural trainings in 2009 as a part of its three-year span livelihood recovery effort which also includes cash-for-work programs, in-kind asset recovery programs, fertilizer distribution and community plantation.

Aung Kyaw Kyaw
Reporting Officer