Rural livelihoods and constraints to commercial farming in Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar

Abstract

Myanmar is a country in rapid economic and political transition, with opportunities emerging for its smallholders to benefit from current economic growth. However, many smallholders are trapped in semi-subsistence agriculture, disconnected from agricultural markets. Commercialisation of smallholder agriculture provides a pathway to improved livelihoods. However, there are many constraints to commercialisation that prevent this process from occurring. This study investigates constraints to commercial farming in two townships (districts) of the Tanintharyi Region. A representative two-stage sample of 259 households was drawn from the townships of Myeik and Palaw. A structured questionnaire gathered information from rural households on household livelihoods, food security and agricultural enterprises. Descriptive statistics presented in this paper provide valuable insights into this poorly understood area. Multivariate techniques are used to identify and rank the constraints to commercial farming. Listed in order of their relative importance, significant constraints included the household’s land endowment, its liquidity, land quality, productive assets, ethnicity, tenure security, and labour endowment. The paper concludes with evidence-based recommendations of relevance to development practitioners, donors and policy-makers, foremost amongst which is the need for affordable credit to alleviate constraints to commercial farming.