Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing has requested the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to assist Myanmar in developing rice scientists and farmers.
In a bilateral meeting attended by 18 Myanmar SEARCA graduate scholars studying at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the minister said Myanmar needs to urgently address contemporary issues that affect agriculture, including climate change, land conversion and degradation, and supply chain, while developing seeds and reserves.
The minister acknowledged SEARCA’s recent efforts to develop human resources in Myanmar’s agriculture sector during his visit to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.
In addition to the 18 Myanmar scholars from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI), nine other Myanmar are currently enrolled in PhD and masters programs under SEARCA scholarship. To date, SEARCA has awarded a total of 80 masters and PhD scholarships to Myanmar nationals, 53 of whom have completed their graduate programs. Currently, two Myanmar researchers are implementing research projects funded by SEARCA under its Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT).
Myanmar is also covered by two SEARCA-implemented research projects in Southeast Asia – one on food reserves management and another on social forestry as it relates to climate change, food security and poverty alleviation.
Mandalay-based Yezin Agricultural University (YAU) is one of the first three beneficiaries of SEARCA’s Institutional Development Assistance (IDA) Program, which develops strategic universities in Southeast Asia.
SEARCA Director Gil C Saguiguit Jr said SEARCA is assisting YAU so it can support the agricultural development agenda of MOAI. SEARCA supported and facilitated an institutional review to improve YAU’s curriculum and course offerings.