Summary
This project seeks to reduce the vulnerability of farmers in Myanmar’s Dry Zone to increasing drought and rainfall variability, as well as enhance their capacity to plan for and respond to future climate change impacts on food security. The strategy is to reduce the risks and effects from recurring droughts, floods and erosion through an integrated water management, crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. This programme will be based on principles of local empowerment and implemented by grassroots organizations such as farmer groups, communal forest user groups, community-based organizations and local NGOs. It is anticipated to reduce food insecurity and losses from extreme climate events in 42,000 households.
Project Components
According to the Asian Development Bank, Myanmar is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change. In the country’s Dry Zone, home to about 18 million people, drought and water scarcity are the dominant climate-related hazards. The Dry Zone has become the most food insecure region of the country. Irregular dry spells and drought have resulted in recurring extreme water shortages, which in turn constitute a constant threat to the livelihoods of the rural poor.
This project operates in five townships: Shwebo and Moneywa in the Sagaing region, Myingyan and Nyaung Oo in the Mandalay region, and Chauk in the Magway region. These townships were selected on the basis of observed temperature extremes, frequency of drought per year, and the impacts of these climatic parameters on food security. The direct beneficiaries of the project are marginal farmers and landless workers whose access to arable land is severely threatened by erosion and land degradation. Special emphasis will be placed on women and female-headed households within this vulnerable group.
Taking a strategy based on principles of local empowerment, this project will make key technical investments in the targeted townships. Impoverished and marginal farmers in these areas will benefit from the project’s additional investments in natural and productive capital, such as improved water supply on drought-prone fields; access to diversified and improved crops for fields and home gardens; expanded agro-forestry services; diversified livestock rearing; and arrested soil erosion and watershed protection. Landless people will benefit from diversified livestock assets, improved ecosystem services, and greater opportunities for manual labor in water-, forestry- and agroforestry-related components of the project. Additionally, the project seeks to strengthen landless peoples’ participation in Community-based Organisations, especially Forest User Groups.
An estimated 42,000 rural households from 280 villages with a high percentage of landless households and marginal/small farmers will benefit directly from the proposed project. Within these 42,000 rural households, approximately 37,800 are estimated to be impoverished landless and marginal farmers’ households who are prone to critical losses of livelihood assets from recurring droughts and crop failures.
Expected Outputs
Component 1: Respond to the climate-induced reduction of freshwater supply
Enhance water capture and storage in 280 villages (Output 1.1) while protecting and rehabilitating 4,200 hectares of micro-watersheds through Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration strategies (Output 1.2), including the use of community-based agro-forestry plots on 7,650 hectares of private and communal lands to conserve soil and water (Output 1.3).
Component 2: Climate-resilient flood and livestock production systems established and promoted
Provide drought-resilient varieties and conservation agriculture practices to 12,600 households on 5,100 hectares of drought-prone land (Output 2.1), along with post-harvest processing and storage systems for safe handling of agricultural produce during extreme climate events (Output 2.2). Introduce diversified livestock production system in 6,300 households to buffer effects of flooding and drought (Output 2.3).
Component 3: Improve communal climate risk information and monitoring
Develop climate hazard maps and risk scenarios in each township (Output 3.1), as well as 5 climate risk information centers (Output 3.2) to support and communicate risk management planning, preparedness, and early warning information.
Project Status:
In DevelopmentResources
There are no related resources for this project.

Myanmar
Theme(s)
Financing Amount
$7,909,026 (amount requested and approved 2011-12-14)Cofinancing Total
N/AContacts
-
Gernot Laganda
Regional Technical AdvisorUNDPgernot.laganda@undp.org
Primary Beneficiaries
Marginal Farmers; Landless Workers; Women