Excerpts from Message of Greetings Sent by Chairman of the State Administration Council of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the Ceremony to Mark the Peasants Day

The excerpts from the message of greetings sent by the Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the ceremony to mark the Peasants Day which falls on 2 March 2022 are as follows:

• The majority of Myanmar people have been engaging in agricultural undertakings as their livelihoods. As some 70 percent of the population are residing in the rural area to work agricultural tasks, they are important persons for Myanmar.
• The SAC is prioritizing food sufficiency and full nutrition to ensure the prosperity of the State and plentiful food supplies for all citizens.
• As the COVID-19 pandemic causes restrictions in local and external trading, the exportation of agricultural products earned US$3,650.28 million, animal products US$5.51 million and marine products US$705.63 million, totalling US$4,361.42 million.
• I deeply honour all peasants and those involved in the production chains in the agriculture and livestock sector with might and main for their efforts not to lessen production during the infection of COVID-19, ensure food sufficiency for the people and not to drop the export volume amid the difficulties, especially with the spirit of the businessperson.
• For having the smooth and swift flow of agriculture and livestock products, a total of 1,186/0.2 miles long rural production roads and 1,720 production bridges were built in rural areas, benefiting 1,469 villages and 0.786 million acres of agriculture and livestock farms.
• A total of 10,278 households from 101 villages were electrified through a solar energy system as part of implementing the rural electrification programme. Moreover, 5,268 waterworks such as tube-wells, artesian wells, earthen lakes, springs and rainwater tanks were undertaken for supplying sufficient drinking water to 3.5 million people from 0.72 million households.
• In order to prevent the damage of crops of peasants in the climate change, the government is coordinating with those from various sectors for conservation of natural resources and environmental conservation as well as risk reduction of climate change.
• The government cooperates with private organizations to be readiness in all aspects by storing the reserve seeds, earmarking the funds, making preparations and undertaking rehabilitation in the damaged crop areas in order to overcome challenges of food deficiency and capacity of response if the country faces the natural disasters in the climate change.
• According to the Law of Protection of the Farmer Rights and Enhancement of their Benefits, the government takes responsibility for setting the reference price of paddy yearly as of 2019, arranging for peasants to purchase agricultural machinery at fair prices in instalment and disbursing the agricultural loans to peasants.
• With a view to producing safe foods with the capacity of competing in both domestic and international markets, the government educates peasants to have knowledge and expertise for agriculture and livestock production in accord with the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), the Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) and the Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP).
• As peasants carry out farming works with investments, machinery and technologies on the lands with the abundant ground and water resources in Myanmar combined with their experiences and perseverance, they will be able to enjoy the fruits of the socio-economic sector. If so, the word “doing farming works for poorness” can be cancelled.

          As such, the Prime Minister deeply urged all to harmoniously join hands in building a prosperous democratic nation while collectively solving the possible challenges, hindrances and difficulties in order to accelerate multiple developments for national interests of the State, including the agriculture sector through the collected efforts of peasants.     

• As some 70 percent of the population are residing in the rural area to work agricultural tasks, they are important persons for Myanmar.
• The SAC is prioritizing food sufficiency and full nutrition to ensure the prosperity of the State and plentiful food supplies for all citizens.
• According to the Law of Protection of the Farmer Rights and Enhancement of their Benefits, the government takes responsibility for setting the reference price of paddy yearly as of 2019, arranging for peasants to purchase agricultural machinery at fair prices in instalment and disbursing the agricultural loans to peasants.
• As peasants carry out farming works with investments, machinery and technologies on the lands with the abundant ground and water resources in Myanmar combined with their experiences and perseverance, they will be able to enjoy the fruits of the socio-economic sector. If so, the word “doing farming works for poorness” can be cancelled.
• The peasants are urged to harmoniously join hands in building a prosperous democratic nation while collectively solving the possible challenges, hindrances and difficulties in order to accelerate multiple developments for national interests of the State, including the agriculture sector through the collected efforts of peasants.