Title:"Cropping Systems and Agricultural Implements in Different
Regions of Myanmar"
Speaker:Prof. Khin Lay Swe, CSEAS visiting research fellow
from Agricultural Botany Department,
Yezin Agricultural University
Date and Time:September 25（Tue.）15:00～17:00
Place:Room 207 on the 2nd Floor of CSEAS East Building.
Coordinator:Kazuo Ando, CSEAS, Kyoto University
Abstract:
Myanmar is divided into seven States which mainly cover the hill
regions and seven Divisions which cover the plain areas. The
diversity of climate and soil types favors the production of a
relatively wide range of crops. Farmers have developed their farming
technologies together with farm implements over time. These largely
depend on agro-ecological suitability such as rainfall, soil type,
nature of the crops grown and socio-economic condition of local
people. Farm implements are mostly related to the production and
post-harvest operation of crops which have a direct impact on the
improvement of agricultural production as well as livelihood of local
farmers. The most predominant cropping system in Myanmar is still in
traditional. Subsistence farming of small holder farmers (below 2 h)
is most prevalent where farming is carried out in a traditional way
using with old and indigenous farm tools and little input. This
involves a great deal of hand labor and animal-drawn implements for
land preparation, sowing, transplanting, harvesting, and processing.
There are strong similarities in some implements, such as ploughs,
harrows, axe, hoes, and sickles among different regions. However, the
design and types of these implements used in one region are sometimes
significantly different from those of other regions. A certain
agricultural tool widely used in an area may not always be
appropriate in other areas and some tools are not available in all
regions. The use of animal-drawn power of today is a crucial stage in
realizing the current socio-economic conditions of Myanmar although
agricultural mechanization is necessary for the continual increased
production in future.