New sustainable rice project to guard Myanmar’s rice sector against climate change

A new initiative will introduce sustainable rice-growing practices to farmers across Myanmar, with the goal of reducing vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters, project partners announced today.

The Climate Smart Rice Project will introduce sustainable standards and best practices to 4,000 smallholder farmers around Mandalay, southern Shan, Mon and Bago over the coming three years, working closely with the Government of Myanmar and the agri-business sector.

The project is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Swiss Agency for Development (SDC) and implemented by a consortium of partners including UN Environment, the Sustainable Rice Platform, Helvetas Myanmar and PRIME Agri Group.

The Government of Myanmar has previously announced its intention to boost sustainable rice production in order to both satisfy domestic demand and turn the country into a sustainable rice exporter. This project is fully aligned to the government’s policies and has been endorsed by the Parliamentary Committee for Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development.

Rice production in Myanmar faces several challenges, including the rice sector’s vulnerability to climate change impacts like higher temperatures, drought, flooding and other stresses. The sector is also challenged by its demand for water, land, fertilizer and pesticides and its own environmental impact, including a significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

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