POVERTY could result from two main causes: failure in economic enterprises and inability to work due to natural disasters. If efforts could be made to ensure the success of agricultural and livestock breeding activities — which are the main livelihoods of rural people in Myanmar — it would greatly contribute to poverty reduction.
To alleviate poverty, it is necessary to implement programmes that promote increased production capacity and create more employment opportunities. Therefore, the State is striving to enhance agriculture-based production industries that benefit the entire population, aiming to achieve national economic growth and improve the overall social and economic well-being of the people.
It can be found that poverty is more prevalent in rural areas, with 87 per cent of all poor people in the country living in rural regions. The poor and vulnerable are more likely to suffer from rising food prices, serious illnesses, accidents, low prices for agricultural products, and sudden natural disasters. As a result, rural residents are more affected by such hardships than those living in urban areas.
Among those engaged in agriculture, landowners have better social and living conditions than those without land. Households engaged in farming but without land ownership have the highest poverty rate at 45.8 per cent, while households without land but engaged in both farming and other types of work have the second-highest poverty rate at 33.4 per cent. Households working in non-agricultural sectors have the lowest poverty rate at 13.2 per cent. As such, it is necessary to find solutions to address low income in the agricultural sector and to create income-generating opportunities.
In addition, households with many children and large family sizes, or those headed by persons with disabilities, by individuals with no education, or with only limited education, often lack sufficient skills and human resource capacity for earning a livelihood, making them more likely to experience poverty.
It is necessary to expand agricultural and livestock activities according to the region and population to ensure that daily food requirements are met. By doing so, the social and economic conditions of rural populations will improve and develop further. All agricultural and livestock activities are implemented with a focus on rural areas, which will increase rural incomes and gradually reduce poverty indicators.
Therefore, ensuring good market prices for agricultural products and making agricultural employment income attractive have a direct impact on reducing poverty among rural populations. Regarding poverty alleviation, responsible authorities in each sector must wholeheartedly implement measures to ensure the success of these initiatives.
