Empowering Rural Communities: Cooperative Associations drive agricultural development

The Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development is encouraging the formation of cooperative associations among like-minded groups for the socio-economic development of rural communities.

Providing quality species, agricultural inputs, and market penetration are among the key objectives. On Saturday, a ceremony demonstrating the use of tractors was held at Nga KaungKan Village in Pyinmana Township.

Tractors distributed by ShweKaungKan Agriculture and General Cooperative Association and ShweTun Company Limited will be used for ploughing farmland for summer paddy cultivation in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area. This reinforces the existing fleet of 26 tractors provided by cooperative associations, the government, and a private company.

Union Minister U Hla Moe urged all stakeholders to make collective efforts in farmland ploughing, cultivation, inputs purchasing, harvesting, and sharing the benefits per acre. Currently, with assistance from the State Economic Promotion Fund, over 44,000 acres of summer paddy have been cultivated by 290 cooperative associations in 89 townships across 10 regions and states.

For agriculture services, more than 500 farm implements from 143 associations have been provided as of January this year, assisting in ploughing over 4,000 acres of farmland and harvesting over 2,000 acres of monsoon paddy.

Moreover, 119 farm implements and related items were provided to associations in 12 regions and states with the budget supported by the government in the 2022-23 fiscal year.