In spring 2025, a devastating earthquake laid waste to large parts of Myanmar and destroyed numerous houses, roads, and bridges. Though the rural, hard-to-reach region of Kachin is not located at the epicentre of the earthquake, the event has exacerbated the plight of many people. Many families who already have had to endure violence, hunger and poverty for years, have now lost everything and must start all over again. SWISSAID supports farmers in becoming self-sufficient again and find sustainable ways out of their precarity.
Facts
Aims
This project empowers smallholder farmers to independently establish their own secure food sources. New sustainable agricultural methods enable them to increase their yields, generate additional income, and better protect themselves against the effects of climate change. Seed capital is provided which allows them to implement their own ideas for generating further income. In light of the tense humanitarian situation, families in particularly dire need also receive targeted emergency aid.
This project is confinanced by the SDC program contribution.
The early morning sun shines onto the vast rice fields of Myanmar’s Kachin State. The air is still cool; at this hour, there is hardly any traffic to be heard in the countryside. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is lively. Small groups of farmers band together to cultivate the fields. By the river a group is preparing for a long day of work. Led by a young farmer, Zau Hkang, they discuss what they need to get done on their 2.5-hectare rice field today.
A life in precarity
Agriculture, especially the cultivation of rice, soybeans, tea, and peanuts, is the main source of income for the local population in Kachin. Half of the population is also breeding chicken, goats, and pigs which provide them with additional income. Nevertheless, some villages struggle to provide their people with sufficient food throughout the year. In fact, hunger is a daily reality that can last several months each year.
There are various reasons for this. The political turn in the country a few years ago brought about copious changes that worsened living conditions for the citizens. Farmers now share their land with countless internally displaced people who have fled the armed conflicts in the surrounding area. There is not enough work for everyone, and loans are only granted at very high interest rates. One poor harvest is enough to suddenly plunge people into even greater hunger and poverty.
Hawng San, 44 years old, farmer
“Rising commodity prices and labour costs are a huge challenge. We can no longer buy fertiliser and equipment or hire workers. This makes it difficult to achieve high yields and earn enough income. In turn, we can barely afford our children’s school fees, let alone our daily meals.”
Back on their own two feet
While Zau Hkang and his group of farmers cultivate their rice field, others take part in an event in the village. SWISSAID and a local organisation regularly offer trainings on various agroecological methods. Agroecology aims to promote a form of agriculture that is more ecologically and socially sustainable. Participants therefore learn – among other things – how to achieve high yields without chemical fertilisers or pesticides, and how to produce and grow their own diverse seeds. Many immediately put their acquired knowledge in their fields and gardens into practice.
Naw Lum Yang, a female farmer shares: “After the course, I immediately made plans for my own seed production. At home, I marked out a piece of land for experiments, prepared the soil and seeds, and planted the beds. The rice plants did indeed grow better with the new methods and natural fertiliser. But there is still room for improvement. I will tackle that next year with the project leaders.”
By using agroecological practices, a 2.5-hectare field now yields 400 baskets of rice per year, providing food and additional income for over 20 farmers. In addition, the village members can harvest different vegetables from their garden after work. This adds variety to their diet and prevents malnutrition.
Independently turning ideas into reality
What new knowledge the villagers acquired is promptly passed on within the community. Zau Hkang and Hawng San now conduct training courses on the production of natural fertilisers themselves. Additionally, each leads a group of farmers who, on their own initiative, have joined forces to share land, labour and harvests. This capacity to organise themselves is crucial to enable rural communities to gradually become self-sufficient in the long term.
Some groups also developed their own ideas to generate further income. SWISSAID co-established a fund that provides seed capital to set up small businesses. One group now sells their own natural fertiliser to course instructors who use it in further trainings in the region.
Hawng San draws a positive conclusion: “The courses not only provided us support to overcome immediate challenges but also equipped us with skills to better prepare ourselves for the future.”
Overcoming crises together
In March 2025, an earthquake – the strongest in the country in more than 100 years – destroyed infrastructure across large parts of Myanmar, including Kachin State. Many houses, roads, and bridges were ruined. Countless people lost everything they owned in one fell swoop – an enormous additional burden for a population that has been suffering for years from violent conflicts in the country and their consequences.
Since the earthquake, SWISSAID has been providing emergency aid to those most in need in the region. The goods distributed include drinking water, basic food supplies and cooking utensils, hygiene items, and cash grants.
Reconstruction takes a lot of time and resources – especially in the hard-to-reach areas where many of the smallholder families live. But it is possible: no one can take away the knowledge the villagers have acquired. The solidarity they have built up together and their ability to organise themselves in adverse circumstances will be to their advantage – and empower them to take their destiny back into their own hands.
Your donation changes lives
Naw Lum Yang, farmer
“Whenever I return from a training, I immediately share my new experiences with my family and our neighbours. In the future, I would like to make sure that my people and other communities continue to have access to knowledge about alternative, sustainable agricultural methods.”
Photos in the header and text: Hkun Ring / Fairpicture. Photos for the quotes: SWISSAID
