Policy reform, agricultural trade, and economic growth in Myanmar

Speaker:

• Dr. Zaw Oo, Executive Director, Centre for Economic and Social Development (CESD), Myanmar      (Video | Presentation)

Panelists:

• Justin Finnegan, Deputy Assistant to the Administrator, USAID (Video)
• Maximo Torero, Division Director of Markets, Trade and Institutions at IFPRI (Video | Presentation)

Chairperson:

• Paul Dorosh, Division Director of Development Strategy and Governance at IFPRI  (Video)

Closing Remarks:

• Shenggen Fan, Director General at IFPRI  (Video)

• Discussion video
• Blog post on the event

In the wake of the recent political transition in Myanmar, the country faces major challenges to accelerated agricultural development and economic growth, including massive needs for investments in agricultural research, extension, and irrigation. Many opportunities are also opening up. Trade with China has grown rapidly in the past five years and other new markets may soon open.

This seminar’s panelists discussed these issues, and drew in part on findings of the USAID Burma funded Food Security Policy Project implemented by Michigan State University, IFPRI and the Centre for Economic and Social Development (CESD) through the Feed the Future Food Security Policy Innovation Lab. Panelists also discussed related research on the agricultural trade and development experiences of other Asian and Latin American countries.