Community Forestry: Workshop agroforestry-based livelihood Improvement

“Workshop on Agroforestry based Livelihood Improvement” was held in Nay Pyi Taw on 28th February.

The workshop aims for promoting agroforestry as a potential strategy for enhancing livelihood improvement of communities under the development of community forestry projects.

The community forestry projects have been implementing in three project areas of Taikkyi Township in Yangon Region, Kyauktakhar Township in Bago Region and Tatkone Township of Nay Pyi Taw Council area.

The attendees discussed ways and means to promote market opportunities of the products, produced from these project areas. 

Staff Officer, Forest Department, Nay Pyi Taw, Khin Yee Mon Hlaing, said " There are three project areas that have been implementing the community forest plantations. Lainmawchan inTaikkyi Township of Yangon Region is the most successful one, followed by Kyauktakhar Township in Bago Region and Tatkone Township of Nay Pyi Taw Council area. For promoting market for the products, we need to solve the problems of insects and weeds. We also need to provide Good Agriculture Practice (CAP) and encourage them to implement the organic farming. We must provide technical assistance to the community forestry members. It also needs to advise them to produce the value-added products."

The project is part of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Program which was initiated in 2016. Five cooperation fields have been designated under this program such as integration, production capacity, Cross-border business cooperation, water resources and agriculture and poverty reduction.  In 2018, it was decided to increase cooperation for the 10 new sectors including forestry and environmental conservation.

The Forest Department is providing necessary assistance for successful implementation of the community forestry projects, including technologies and capital funds. 

Director, Forest Department (Yangon Region), Tat Toe, said " We provide the technical assistance and distribute Teak and mahogany saplings free of charged to the villagers. We created a network for the sellers and the buyers to be able to make direct contact, and so, the sellers get more market price. We also plan to provide funds for transportation to reduce the costs for transporting their products to the cities. In this way, the villagers can earn more incomes."

The workshop was attended by Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Tun Ohn, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar Dr. Zheng Zhihong, Deputy Minister U Min Thu (Mineral Affairs) and concerned officials as well as the Representatives of Forest Department from the project areas and villagers from project villages.