Myanmar, whose 53 million inhabitants comprise 135 ethnic groups, is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia. It ranks 132 out of 177 countries in the 2007/2008 UNDP Human Development Index, with an annual per capita gross national income at just US$220.
Although Myanmar is a food-surplus country with significant agricultural potential, unfavourable economic policies, vagaries of weather, impaired social cohesion and the marginalization of some sectors of the population adversely affect livelihood opportunities and adequate access to food requirements.
Food insecurity is particularly pronounced in border areas, home to the majority of the country's minorities, who face a variety of restrictions including impediments to trade and movement.
Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008, sweeping through the Ayeyarwady delta region and directly hitting the country's capital and largest city, Yangon. The combined population of the declared disaster areas is around 13 million (out of a total estimated Myanmar population of 52.5 million).
The Ayeyarwady Division, which bore the brunt of the storm, is known as the country's granary and has an extensive fishery industry. Almost all fertile agricultural land was inundated with salty water and will require significant time to return to normal.
The hardest hit villages saw families lose all their farming assets, together with their houses and food stores for the rest of the year. The affected poor families will be without the capital to purchase seeds and other agricultural inputs, tools and livestock.
WFP's food assistance strategy in Myanmar aims to meet the emergency needs of disaster-affected populations, bridge the food gap, build on community assets for future livelihoods and prevent a deterioration of the nutritional status of the most vulnerable groups.
Covering a total period of 12 months,WFP's strategy for food assistance to Cyclone affected populations in Myanmar includes relief, recovery and supplementary feeding interventions to help maintain adequate food consumption stabilize the nutritional status of the most vulnerable groups and restore livelihoods.
Meanwhile, with its program assisting vulnerable families, WFP seeks to help:
WFP’s main operational challenge stems from the fact of moving food commodities from surplus areas to restricted areas – something which requires a multitude of permits and clearances, and these restricted areas suffer from food insecurity due to the tight controls imposed by the central authorities.
The relief-recovery effort focuses on the areas of Northern Rakhine State, the Central Dry Zone and Shan State. Northern Rakhine State is separated from the rest of the country by mountains in the east. Its inhabitants share close ethnic and cultural links with neighbouring Bangladesh. Many of these families are landless casual labourers with limited employment opportunities due to restrictions on movement. Access to food is a year-round problem.
The Central Dry Zone is considered one of the poorest and most backward areas of the country. Its chronic food deficit is aggravated by a weak infrastructure, harsh climate, inadequate farming inputs and lack of access to land. Opium was the main source of livelihood for many decades for many inhabitants of Shan State.
The Government’s decision to eradicate opium has pushed a majority of the households into chronic poverty and adversely affected their food security.
