Adaptation and Resilience Measures to Climate Change: Lessons from Myanmar’s Rice and Fish Farmers

Aung Tun Oo (ELP 2022) | Technical Advisor / Researcher, Radanar Ayar Rural Development Association, Myanmar

Executive Summary

  • Flooding and saltwater intrusion are increasingly threatening rice and fish-farming communities in the coastline areas of Myanmar 

  • Women-headed households are the most vulnerable to external shock

  • Farm households adopt climate change adaptation measures such as indigenous adaptation strategies, change of improved varieties, etc. to lessen the negative effects of flooding and saltwater intrusion

  • Community-based adaptation planning is found as an additional resilience option

Introduction

Rising sea levels have affected livelihoods in Myanmar's coastal regions, particularly in the rice- and fish-farming sectors. Agriculture and aquaculture farming systems are linked due to the complex ways in which water resources are used. However, communities engaged in these sectors don't have any specific plans in place to deal with climate-related natural disasters such as flooding and saltwater incursion. It is anticipated that climate-related natural hazards are more likely to occur in the future and it will certainly affect the low-lying coastline areas of Myanmar. The projected catastrophic weather and flooding will create a significant burden on communities to secure food, as well as on development organizations to aid affected people. To address these issues, the SUMERNET research project titled “Evaluation of adaptive capacity and resilience of agriculture and aquaculture dependent communities in coastline areas of Myanmar and Vietnam” was conducted in both Myanmar and Vietnam. 

 

In Myanmar, the main objective of this study was to understand the climate change vulnerability of farm households and adaptation or resilience measures to cope with the negative impacts of climate-related natural hazards.  The field survey undertaken by the project investigated how the difference in the vulnerability of women- and men-headed households. And, the adaptation strategies of agriculture and aquaculture-dependent communities were also examined. 

 

Women farmers dry fish in an open field in Kyauk Tan Township, Yangon, Myanmar.

Climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment 

The climate change vulnerability assessment found that socioeconomic conditions of agriculture- and aquaculture-dependent communities in coastal regions of Myanmar are at risk due to the impacts of sea level rise, flooding, and saltwater intrusion, as well as other climate extremes like cyclones.

 

Female-headed farm households are more vulnerable to external shocks because their capacity to adapt is generally lower than that of those of male-headed farm households. Priority should be given to female-headed households to strengthen their capacities to adapt to climate-related natural hazards. 

 

Farm households in coastal Myanmar are employing climate change adaptation measures/strategies to cope with the adverse effects of climate change, regardless of gender aspects. These adaptation measures are a mixture of indigenous adaptation strategies such as traditional weather forecasting, selection of traditional crop varieties, change/adjusting of planting dates, etc, and recommended adaptation strategies such as improved seed selection, soil and water management, selection of improved crop varieties, etc. A mix of locally acceptable/suitable climate change adaptation measures is essential to cope with the negative impacts of climate change. 

 

At the farm level, several barriers limit the choice of climate change adaptation measures. For example, in recent years, Covid-19 and high input costs are the main barriers to agricultural investment decisions and the adoption of adaptation strategies.  Lower market prices and lack of access to credit are also barriers for farm households to invest in climate change adaptation measures. 

 

In both rice- and fish-farming systems, the increased occurrence of pests and diseases along with temperature rise are often reported as a major threat to crop and fish production.

 

Embankment building, formal and informal training, and access to credit are major factors influencing farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies. 

 

Moreover, both rice- and fish-farming communities have their resilience plans. These community-based climate change resilience plans also play an important role in adaptation management. Therefore, it is important to empower the locally applied adaptation strategies and community-based resilience plans by empowering the capacities and capabilities to adapt or cope with the negative impacts of flooding and saltwater intrusion in the coastline areas of Myanmar. 

 

Policy Implications and Recommendation

 

Promote and empower community-based organizations: Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and local NGOs are closely working with those affected communities. Strengthening the adaptive capacity of community members, and stakeholders engaged in the regional climate change resilience planning and implementation is a key to climate resilience in coastal areas of Myanmar.

 

Strengthen Traditional Knowledge and adaptation measure: Recognize the importance of traditional knowledge in adapting to climate change and promote the sharing of this adaptation knowledge and strategies through Farmer Field School (FFS) and/or peer-to-peer farmer’s learning platform. 

 

A young farmer carries Nipa Palm leaves by boat in Pyapon Township, Ayeyarwaddy Region, Myanmar.


Increase Access to Resources: Provide farmers with access to credit, land, and water resources to invest in new technologies and adaptation practices such as flood-resistant crops, improved drainage, embankment building, and other flood management practices. 

 

Access to weather and market information: Lack of access to weather/climate and market information is found as the main constraint in adaptation management and thus the local or community-based organizations are encouraged to share that information with farmers/communities on time.  

 

Community-Based Adaptation/Resilience Plans: Strengthen community-based adaptation by promoting the participation of farmers in decision-making processes. This can be achieved through the establishment of farmer-led organizations and the integration of traditional knowledge into formal adaptation planning processes.