Myanmar : Enhancing Rural Livelihoods and Incomes

Agriculture and Natural Resources / Agriculture, natural resources and rural development

At present, rural incomes are constrained by high transaction costs for agricultural production and marketing (due largely to the poor condition of access roads, tracks, bridges, and boat landing sites as well as irrigation, drainage, and flood control structures), sparse opportunities for alternative employment and limited access to markets, social and technical services. Investments in improving rural infrastructure, livelihoods and extension services will reduce these constraints, increase the access of rural communities to markets and leverage their capacity to make real economic gains.

The project will implement grassroots interventions based on a community-driven development (CDD) approach aimed at stimulating economic activities in rural areas of Myanmar. This will be achieved through income enhancing rural livelihood interventions including rehabilitation, upgrading and provision of new productive and social infrastructure at the village level. Economic and financial benefits are expected from the reduction of transaction costs and improved access to input supplies through direct cash payments to the rural population participating in the project's rural infrastructure activities. Central to this project is the use of labor-based appropriate technology (LBAT) which will provide direct cash infusion into rural areas, through pay for work, enabling further local income generating activities. The reduction of infrastructure constraints and the direct infusion of cash to village households will provide an economic stimulus in and around the project areas.

1. Communities mobilized and organized for identifying priority needs

2. Village- and village tract-level infrastructure and rural livelihoods improved

3. Project management services institutionalized

Achieved. ERLIP Operation Manual (revised/updated) was available in both Myanmar and English (finalized after MTR in Mar 2017). Supplemental Guidelines: Implementing Procedures for the ERLIP Livelihood Subcomponent was available in both Myanmar and English (finalized in Aug 2018).

Achieved. 100% of the total 24 DRD engineers and technicians

were trained on project implementation, including

M&E.

Achieved. 100% of the total 24 DRD engineers and technicians were trained 100% of the total 24 DRD engineers and technicians were trained in financial management, procurement, and contracting; Of which, 27% were female. Note: only 23% of DRD staff were female.

Achieved. Best practices and lessons learned were documented and shared at the MSRs in Nay Pyi Taw and the townships. These MSRs were attended by parliament members, other government agencies,

development partners, and NGOs. Procedures, guidelines, good practices of ERLIP were used as references to inform the design of the new Resilient Community Development Project (RCDP) and other development projects.

Achieved. 62% (111,000 villagers) of poor and very poor households participated in need assessment, planning, and decision making, including to identify priority needs, for the development of communities in selected village tracts. Female participation was 55%.

Achieved. By Q1 2017, all 63 village tracts with approved VDPs have received the first cycle of the infrastructure block grants.

Achieved. By 2016, all 63 village tracks (VT) with VT development support committees established. By 2016, all 293 villages with Village Development Support Committees (VDSC) established. 47% of 7,147 VDSC members by 2016 were women.

Achieved. 3 gender sensitivity briefings were conducted in each township during community mobilization for each one for each cycle. Gender awareness-raising and project gender requirements were incorporated into all training for the project teams and VDSCs. Gender requirements of the project were incorporated into the updated or revised ERLIP OM and Supplemental Guideline on the Livelihood Subcomponent.

Achieved. All 63 VTs in three participating townships have implemented all the prioritized infrastructure subprojects (213 subprojects in Ngaputaw; 157 in Bokpyin; and 202 in Ywangan).

Achieved. 13,930 households who are LG members trained on technical skills related to the proposed livelihood activities; of which 45% were female; 12,613 livelihood group members were trained on organizational development; of which 54% were female.

Achieved. 43 multiple-purpose buildings (or 215%) were constructed for community activities (e.g. village meetings, child vaccination and other health services, training, extension services of government agencies, cultural events, and other purposes).

Achieved. 98.6% of the subprojects were prioritized by women.