IFPRI CGIAR
Subscribe

Back

Who we are

With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

Kalyani Raghunathan

Kalyani Raghunathan is Research Fellow in the Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion Unit, based in New Delhi, India. Her research lies at the intersection of agriculture, gender, social protection, and public health and nutrition, with a specific focus on South Asia and Africa. 

Where we work

Back

Where we work

IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

IFPRI Regional Programs

IFPRI Country Programs

Research by country and region

Subscribe
Country program Myanmar

country program

Myanmar Strategy Support Program

rice sprout ready to growing in the rice field

country programs

Overview

Book

Myanmar’s agrifood system: Historical development, recent shocks, future opportunities

2024Boughton, Duncan; Belton, Ben; Lambrecht, Isabel B.; Masias, Ian; Minten, Bart
Details

Myanmar’s agrifood system: Historical development, recent shocks, future opportunities

Myanmar has endured multiple crises in recent years — including COVID-19, global price instability, the 2021 coup, and widespread conflict — that have disrupted and even reversed a decade of economic development. Household welfare has declined severely, with more than 3 million people displaced and many more affected by high food price inflation and worsening diets. Yet Myanmar’s agrifood production and exports have proved surprisingly resilient. Myanmar’s Agrifood System: Historical Development, Recent Shocks, Future Opportunities provides critical analyses and insights into the agrifood system’s evolution, current state, and future potential. This work fills an important knowledge gap for one of Southeast Asia’s major agricultural economies — one largely closed to empirical research for many years. It is the culmination of a decade of rigorous empirical research on Myanmar’s agrifood system, including through the recent crises. Written by IFPRI researchers and colleagues from Michigan State University, the book’s insights can serve as a to guide immediate humanitarian assistance and inform future growth strategies, once a sustainable resolution to the current crisis is found that ensures lasting peace and good governance.

Year published

2024

Authors

Boughton, Duncan; Belton, Ben; Lambrecht, Isabel B.; Masias, Ian; Minten, Bart

Citation

Boughton, Duncan; Belton, Ben; Lambrecht, Isabel B.; Masias, Ian; and Minten, Bart (Eds.). 2024. Myanmar’s agrifood system: Historical development, recent shocks, future opportunities. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/152392

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Agrifood Systems; Development; Economic Shock; Governance

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book

The Myanmar Strategy Support Program (Myanmar SSP) aims to enhance the national capacity to conduct research and prioritize strategic reforms that improve food security and nutrition in Myanmar. Through a multi-faceted and multidisciplinary research program designed to anticipate and monitor the impacts of multiple crises on household welfare and the agrifood system, Myanmar SSP provides rapid assessments that inform programming and investments for development partners, civil society, and the private sector. Moreover, working collaboratively with national researchers in academic institutions, it aims to fill the knowledge gap on the agrifood system, while developing the technical capacity of the next generation of national leaders to conduct research, strategic analysis and promote evidence-based policy making to support agricultural transformation and other broad development goals in Myanmar.

The Feed the Future Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis (MAPSA), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is Myanmar SSP’s flagship project. The project is led by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in partnership with Michigan State University (MSU).  MAPSA generates data and analysis of the agri-food system and food security outcomes to guide efforts to support the people of Myanmar and ensure resilience. Activities focus on enhancing resilience in the near term and preserve a foundation for the inclusive growth and transformation of the agri-food system in the medium term. 

The Agrifood Value Chain Development in Myanmar: Implications for Livelihoods of the Rural Poor (AFVC) project, funded by the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) aims to promote inclusive agricultural productivity growth, improved nutritional outcomes, and enhanced livelihood resilience for men and women through an improved policy enabling environment. Activities focus on monitoring the impact of multiple crises on household livelihoods and welfare to inform development partners and civil society on the evolution of the agrifood system and its implications. This project is led by Michigan State University (MSU) in partnership with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

To learn more, visit the IFPRI Myanmar website.

IFPRI Myanmar Website

Donors

Partners

Duration

2019 – Ongoing

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

The state of food security and nutrition in Myanmar 2021-24: Findings from seven rounds of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey

2024Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis
Details

The state of food security and nutrition in Myanmar 2021-24: Findings from seven rounds of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey

This working paper explores the state of food security and nutrition in Myanmar using seven rounds of nationally representative household panel data collected from December 2021 to July 2024. Overall, the state of food security and nutrition has deteriorated in Myanmar in 2021-24. More than three percent of households were in moderate to severe hunger in April-July 2024. Hunger was highest in Chin (14.4 percent), as well as Rakhine (8.0 percent) and Kayah (5.2 percent) in the latest survey round. Households with a low food consumption score increased from 9.4 percent in December 2021-February 2022 to 17.7 percent in April-June 2023 and remains high at 13.5 percent in April-July 2024. The shares in April-July 2024 were highest in Kayah (52.3 percent), Chin (33.9 percent), and Shan (21.1 percent). Inadequate diet diversity among adults rose from 20.6 percent to 25 percent over December 2021-February 2022 to April-July 2024. Women saw a faster decline in diet quality from December-February 2022 to April-July 2024 (6.3 percentage points increase in poor diet quality vs 2.4 percentage points for men). Decreases in diet quality among adults are driven by lower consumption of nuts and seeds and milk/dairy products. 29.5 percent of all children aged 6-23 months and 20.9 percent of all children aged 6-59 months had inadequate diet quality in the latest round of survey. Regression analysis reveals low income and limited assets to be important risk factors for food security and adequate diet quality. Wage workers and low wage communities are found to be particularly vulnerable. Rising food prices, conflict and physical insecurity increase the likelihood of poor diet quality. Receiving remittances is a source of resilience; remittance-receiving households are less likely to experience hunger or poor dietary diversity at the household, adult, and child level. To avert a full-blown nutrition crisis in Myanmar, effective multisectoral steps are required to protect nutritionally vulnerable populations. Expanded implementation of nutrition- and gender-sensitive social protection programs, including maternal and child cash transfers, particularly to vulnerable groups is called for. Further, given the importance of remittances as an effective coping mechanism, supporting migration and the flow of remittances would help to improve the welfare of the Myanmar population.

Year published

2024

Authors

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis

Citation

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis. 2024. The state of food security and nutrition in Myanmar 2021-24: Findings from seven rounds of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey. Myanmar SSP Working Paper 62. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Dietary Diversity; Food Security; Households; Hunger; Nutrition

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Monitoring the agri-food system in Myanmar: The rising costs of diets – September 2024 survey round

2024Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis
Details

Monitoring the agri-food system in Myanmar: The rising costs of diets – September 2024 survey round

We assess changes in food prices and diet costs based on large-scale surveys of food vendors (fielded from June 2020 until September 2024) and households (fielded in six periods between 2022 to 2024) across rural and urban areas and in all states/regions of Myanmar. Key Findings  Between July 2023 and September 2024, the cost of a healthy and commonly consumed diet increased by 34 and 35 percent, respectively.  The price of rice – the major staple – was more than twice as high in September 2024 compared to two years prior. Prices rose by 29 percent between July 2023 and September 2024, and by only 7 percent between March and September 2024.  In September 2024, cooking oil prices were 88 percent higher than the previous year, but 15 percent lower than two years prior.  In September 2024, the median prices of most protein-rich foods, except for fish, were at least 50 percent higher compared to two years prior. Over the same two-year period, banana prices doubled.  The highest costs for both common and healthy diets are seen in the conflict-affected states of Rakhine and Kachin, where in September 2024, the costs of the healthy diet was about 65 percent higher than the national average and the costs of the common diet costs was about 40 percent higher.  Compared to average casual wages, the healthy and common diets are least affordable in Kachin, Rakhine and Magway and most affordable in Kayin and Mon.  Between the fourth quarter of 2023 and September 2024, the prices of petrol rose by 90 percent, bar soap and paracetamol by nearly 50 percent, and toothpaste by 160 percent. Recommended Actions  Ensuring food is available at affordable prices is crucial to prevent food security and nutrition issues in the country. Therefore, prioritizing a well-functioning agri-food system should be a key focus for all stakeholders.  The food price situation in Rakhine State is most concerning among all states and regions, and the state should be prioritized – to the extent that this possible – for assistance.

Year published

2024

Authors

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis

Citation

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis. 2024. Monitoring the agri-food system in Myanmar: The rising costs of diets – September 2024 survey round. Myanmar Strategy Support Program Research Note 116. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Agrifood Systems; Diet; Food Prices; Households; Surveys

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Rice productivity in Myanmar: Assessment of the 2024 dry season

2024Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis
Details

Rice productivity in Myanmar: Assessment of the 2024 dry season

Key Findings We analyze paddy rice productivity and profitability data for the dry seasons of 2023 and 2024, based on the Myanmar Agriculture Performance Survey (MAPS) fielded in the period of July 29th to September 16th, 2024. The survey covered plots of 825 rice paddy producers. It is found that: • Prices of inputs used in paddy production – labor and mechanization – increased significantly between these two growing seasons by between 36-38 and 59 percent respectively, on average. On the other hand, urea prices declined by 1 percent. Paddy prices at the farm increased by 14 percent. • Nominal profits for paddy rice farmers increased over the last two seasons. At the same time, price inflation has been high in the country. Therefore, real profits from paddy rice farming, which are nominal prices corrected by the change in the cost of an average food basket, decreased by 15 percent during the dry season of 2024 compared to the dry season of 2023. However, real profits were still higher than two and three years ago. • Rice productivity at the national level during the dry season of 2024 on farmers’ largest rice plot was slightly higher (+6.9 percent) than in the previous dry season. • Six percent of the rice farmers reported to have been affected by flooding during the dry season, even before cyclone Yagi affected many farmers in the beginning of September 2024. Recommended Actions • As paddy prices have gone up compared to last year, rice prices have gone up substantially as well, making the costs of Myanmar’s staple food unaffordable for some consumers, especially for the most vulnerable ones. Expansion of safety nets, targeted or self-targeted to the poorest, would therefore be beneficial. • The cyclone Yagi has affected a significant share of monsoon producers. Assistance for farmers in these areas to recover from floods in time for the post-/pre-monsoon is called for.

Year published

2024

Authors

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis

Citation

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis. 2024. Rice productivity in Myanmar: Assessment of the 2024 dry season. Myanmar Strategy Support Program Research Note 115. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute https://hdl.handle.net/10568/159895

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Rice; Agricultural Productivity; Profitability; Inputs; Dry Season; Prices; Cyclones

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Blogs

Resource-poor rice farmers in Myanmar suffer double impact from political conflict
IFPRI Blog
 | 
November 12, 2024

Resource-poor rice farmers in Myanmar suffer double impact from political conflict

By Hiroyuki Takeshima, Zin Wai Aung, Ian Masias, and Bart Minten

Productivity erodes amid turmoil.

Cash, COVID, coup, crisis: A pre-pandemic maternal and child cash transfer program had sustained dietary benefits during Myanmar’s ongoing emergency
IFPRI Blog
 | 
March 15, 2023

Cash, COVID, coup, crisis: A pre-pandemic maternal and child cash transfer program had sustained dietary benefits during Myanmar’s ongoing emergency

By Derek Headey and Elisa Maffioli

Positive health and nutrition results persist even in adverse circumstances.

Survey: COVID-19 undermines incomes, livelihoods in rural Myanmar
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 14, 2021

Survey: COVID-19 undermines incomes, livelihoods in rural Myanmar

By Catherine Ragasa, Isabel Lambrecht, and Michael Wang

Mobility restrictions and market disruptions hit farming households hard.

View all Blogs

News

January 30, 2023 | In the News

Contentious election looms in Myanmar (The Star) 

The Star (Myanmar) published an article on the current state of politics and lost progress over the past two years. Armed conflict started in February 2021, but some are hopeful that a new election will turn turmoil into something workable for its citizens. However, many experts see little hope for negotiation.  More than 1.5 million […]

December 20, 2022 | In the News

Embattled Myanmar people see rise in crime as country’s political situation gets worse (The Star) 

The Star (Myanmar) published an article stating that while definitive crime statistics were not available, over 10 urban residents contacted by ST reported having been victims of or witnessed crimes affecting their friends and relatives, making them unwilling to venture outdoors at nightfall or fearful of carrying anything valuable when they leave their homes. According […]

December 13, 2022 | In the News

Rising production costs deny farmers benefits of high rice prices (Frontier Myanmar) 

Rice prices are going up, hitting ordinary Myanmar consumers, but smallholder farmers must still contend with higher costs of fertilizer and diesel, writes Frontier Myanmar, quoting IFPRI research on the matter.  “Local knowledge is backed up by international reports.  The International Food Policy Research Institute, a United States-based non-profit research center, says Myanmar’s rice productivity […]

View all News

Events

Assessments of the Impacts of COVID-19 on Myanmar's food security and welfare
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

November 11, 2020, 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Assessments of the Impacts of COVID-19 on Myanmar’s food security and welfare

While a much stronger second wave of COVID-19 cases poses a serious and sustained threat to the health of the Myanmar population, it also brings renewed economic disruptions and poses new challenges for efforts to avert poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition. To generate evidence that can better inform the design of emergency response and economic […]

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Food and Nutrition Security in Myanmar
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

September 15, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Food and Nutrition Security in Myanmar

The impacts of the COVID-19 economic crisis are threatening the livelihoods and welfare of vulnerable households in Myanmar. Declining household income, from increases in unemployment and declines in remittances, can have negative long-term effects on the food and nutrition insecurity of households and the overall welfare of vulnerable populations. A deeper understanding of the social […]

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Myanmar’s Livestock and Fishery Sectors
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

August 26, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Myanmar’s Livestock and Fishery Sectors

Myanmar’s livestock and fishery sectors are crucial to the livelihoods of many vulnerable households, and an important dimension in improving nutritional outcomes in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to mitigate its spread have led to disruptions in these sectors arising from declines in incomes and restrictions on movement. Careful monitoring of the impact […]

View all Events

Team members

Bart Minten

Bart Minten

Senior Research Fellow/ Program Leader of the Myanmar Strategy Support Program, Development
Strategies and Governance

Bart Minten

Bart Minten

Senior Research Fellow/ Program Leader of the Myanmar Strategy Support Program, Development
Strategies and Governance

Derek Headey

Derek Headey

Senior Research Fellow, Development
Strategies and Governance

Ian Masias

Ian Masias

Program Head, Development
Strategies and Governance

profile

Kristi Mahrt

Senior Research Analyst, Development
Strategies and Governance

The Programs

  • Kutubdia Island in the Bay of Bengal

    Bangladesh Policy Research and Strategy Support Program

    Improving food and nutrition security is of paramount concern to millions in Bangladesh.

  • Wuxi, the fast growing city that was formerly known as White Horse Village.

    China Strategy Support Program

    Supports joint research & capacity strengthening as well as policy dialogues & communication to improve policymaking.

  • Farm land in Giza in Egypt

    Egypt Strategy Support Program

    Egypt SSP's main objective is to raise incomes of the rural poor and to improve food and nutrition security in Egypt.

  • Gayo village, Ethiopia

    Ethiopia Strategy Support Program

    ESSP is a collaborative program undertaken by IFPRI and the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI)

  • amevi-wisdom-wiul_nyafcy-unsplash

    Ghana Strategy Support Program

    Conduct research & advise on policy to support agricultural growth, rural development & economic transformation.

  • Local vendors selling vegetables at a market in Kenya,Africa

    Kenya Strategy Support Program

    KSSP is a policy research, capacity strengthening and policy communication program with the main objectives to accelerate poverty reduction and to improve food security.

  • Mitundu Market, Lilongwe, Malawi

    Malawi Strategy Support Program

    This project facilitates and promotes evidence-based dialogue and decision-making in support of agricultural development, food security, and economic growth in Malawi.

  • Country program Myanmar

    Myanmar Strategy Support Program

    The project supports agricultural transformation and other development policy goals by enhancing national technical, institutional, and policy analysis capacities.

  • Nigeria Strategy Support Program

    NSSP responds to the research, analysis, and capacity needs of stakeholders in the Nigerian agricultural research and policy community.

  • Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program

    The Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program (PNG-AFNP) is an initiative aligned with the Government of Papua New Guinea’s vision to revitalize and transform its agricultural sector to improve economic opportunities, livelihoods, and food security.

  • Fertile field at sunset in the countryside (Rwanda/ Africa)

    Rwanda Strategy Support Program

    Rwanda SSP is an initiative aligned with the Government of Rwanda’s vision to accelerate agricultural transformation and rural development in Rwanda.

  • A sunset view of river Nile in Khartoum, Sudan

    Sudan Strategy Support Program

    The Sudan Country Strategy Support Program (CSSP), with key team members based in Khartoum, can provide needed analytical support to the Government of Sudan, local and international partners.