Rice farming declines in Kyikemayaw due to armed conflict and security concerns

July 16, 2024

HURFOM: Rice farming in the rainy season usually starts in May in Burma, but due to armed conflicts and security concerns, only a small number of farmers in Kyikemayaw Township, Mon State are starting their rice farming.

Mon State has nearly 700,000 acres of rice farming in the rainy season and Kyikemayaw Township has 56,000 acres of farming. making it a major contributor.

Kaw Don, Kaw Pa Naw, Dhammasa, Kaw One, Ta Ra Nar and Than Ka Long villages have many rice operations. Many villages had fled their homes due to indiscriminate artillery attacks resulting in a decline in the number of active farmers. Rice fields in Kyune Yaw and Dhammasa villages have also experienced significant losses because there has not been regular maintenance of the fields.

“I’ve done farming this year. But I’ve only done farming in a paddy field which is far from the military bases. I started farming late as I couldn’t hire many workers like I did before. The farmers did not dare to stay, they ran away when they heard the sound of gunshot,” said a farmer from Kyikemayaw Township.

Rice farming is possible in Kha Yone Gu and Kaw That villages because there have not been armed clashes.

“I have only been able to prepare a small two-acre area near my village. I have 30-acres of farmland beside the river bank in Kyikemayaw, but I dare not go there to do farming,” said a farmer from Kaw Swell village.

Rice farming has also declined in Karen State and Tenasserim Division due to armed conflicts. Villagers are worried about the potential for a rice shortage and high prices in the coming year.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News