rice
Rice among the crops that the new policy will cover.
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock.
 
YANGON, MYANMAR — The International Finance Corp. (IFC) has partnered with the Department of Agriculture of Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI) to introduce guidelines geared toward improving the productivity and profitability of farmers through sustainable farming.

The Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Protocol and Guidelines specifically cover 15 crops, including rice and peanuts. The guidelines have been created to guide cultivators on how to produce safe and quality products for the local and international markets.

“The launch of the GAP Protocol and Guidelines is an effort to boost farmers’ livelihood and develop Myanmar’s agricultural sector, which will contribute to economic growth,” said Aung Thu, the Union Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. “We appreciate IFC’s support and will push for the implementation of the GAP system across the sector.”

The launch of the guidelines is part of the IFC’s ongoing advisory support to MoALI to bolster the sector’s productivity and competitiveness, delivered in partnership with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom and the Government of Japan. Over the next two to three years, the IFC said it will work with the government to remove legal and regulatory obstacles to increase private sector participation in sustainable agriculture, raise quality standards for key export commodities and local food processing, and develop skills related to agri-input usage and improve quality standards.

“Quality agricultural inputs will elevate industry productivity and quality, raising incomes and creating jobs along the value chain,” said Vikram Kumar, IFC country manager for Myanmar. “Agribusiness is a strategic pillar of IFC’s work in Myanmar. In alignment with MoALI’s mission, we are supporting local firms to increase the availability of good-quality crop protection products and also improve access to agri-lending products for farmers.”