AgriProFocus Myanmar Network Day & Drinks

31st Jan 2019

1:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Inya Lake Hotel, Yangon

❖ Introduction

AgriProFocus Myanmar hosted its second Network Day on 31st January 2019, from 1:30 pm to 5:30

pm at the Inya Lake Hotel in Yangon. 25 participants from member organisations, local level

members and new interested companies and organisations attended the event. Mr. Frederik

Heijink, agricultural counsellor of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands attended and

delivered the opening speech.

We focussed on the theme Inclusive Agribusiness, to shape our future network agenda.

We explored the question ‘If everything is possible, how does Myanmar’s agribusiness climate look

like in 2030?’, together with our members.

The Agenda of the Network day included:

● To inform members about our new strategy

● To share annual plan 2019 and ask for feedback

● To visualise the network

● To improve understanding of members on the activities APF

● To improve understanding of expectations and willingness to contribute from members

● To learn and share experiences related to the theme.

● To set a joint agenda related to the theme inclusive agribusiness

● To create the networking opportunities among our members.

❖ Event Program

Time Activities Who

13.00 -13:30 Registration Thaint

13.30-13.45 Opening and sharing about 2018 Ms. Babette

13.45 -13.50 Opening Speech by Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands Mr. Frederik

13.50- 14.40 Spider web exercise

Thaint

14.40-14.50

What will be our focus in 2019 and presenting some the 2019

activities

Aung Myat

Thu

14.50-15.05 Tea break

15.05-16.05 Group assignment

- Utopia of agribusiness sector in Myanmar

- Two main issues facing by org/companies

Babette,

AMT, Theint

16.05-16.25 Floor for members (MDF & ICCO) - room for

questions/discussions

Aung Myat

Thu

16.25-16.30 Closing remarks

Babette

16.30-18.00 Drinks

❖ Key Highlights plenary program

The event was opened by Mr. Mr. Frederik Heijink , agriculture counsellor of the Kingdom of the

Netherlands. He said that we need to focus on the five F’s, namely food, forest, fuel, fibre and feed.

Ms. Babette Bodlaender, Country coordinator of AgriProFocus presented AgriProFocus 2019 focus

related with linking, learning and leadership. She said that “ our members are our core” and

explained about how to expand AgriProFocus portfolio with more technical projects to showcase

and providing new linkages with Dutch innovation.

Therefore AgriProFocus aims to create collective impact. Together we can make agribusiness work

for development. How can you start the journey with the AgriProFocus Network? Please join the

AgriProFocus network, meet new unlikely partners to explore the landscape together, move to joint

action with the help of the AgriProFocus network, do this via our Linking, Learning and Leadership

products and then, create collective impact together.

Mr. Aung Myat Thu, AgriProFocus Myanmar country network facilitator explained about the

Myanmar network agenda for 2019. AgriProFocus identified 5 different agenda:

● AgriFood Bootcamp

● Bizconnect Workshop

● Youth Forum

● Job Fair

● Gender in value chains

● Sector Stakeholder Events

❖ Outcomes Group Assignment

The participants were divided in 3 groups. They discussed about the ideal agribusiness climate in

Myanmar, a so called utopia 2030. What are the factors that can create this utopia? During the

session the current challenges & opportunities were identified per organization for 2019 and

discussed about one concrete step the organization can take.

The objectives of the group discussions are,

● Identify joint learning questions

● Identify joint objectives and willingness to work together

SESSION 1: Think of the ideal agribusiness climate in Myanmar, a so called utopia 2030. How would

that look like? What are the factors that can create this utopia?

Group - 1

High Impact Difficult to realize

Low Impact Easy to realize

Group - 2

High Impact Difficult to realize

Low Impact Easy to realize

Group - 3

High Impact Difficult to realize

Low Impact Easy to realize

SESSION 2: Brainstorm and explain to the subgroup what you from the perspective of your

organization see as your challenges and opportunities in the Myanmar agribusiness for 2019.

Challenges Opportunities

● Low government budget ● Teacher shortage ● Youth doesn’t want to farm ● Changing the perception ● Translating investment into return ● Finance and funding ● Policy

● Contract Farming ● Transfer Knowledge to farmers ● Undeveloped market ● Technology ● Cost manpower and effort ● Credible data ● Partnership Demand

● Resource ( skillful person) ● Proving easier access to finance for

farmers ● Access to farmers ● Accessibility of smart place for agri

extension service ● Following /accepting the technical

guides/ suggestion

● Linking private companies for contract farming

● Dairy production

● Attract private sector investment in agricultural production to advisory services.

● Fund raising (from INGO or EU or LIFT) for LNGO.

● Funding Raising ● Finding qualified cooperatives ● Image of cooperatives

● Mining the ADS for support just function for investment

● Success stories spread of other farmers for rural Development in the field of agriculture, livestock and livelihood.

● Intersector, networking, capacity building and policy advocacy

● Funding

● Unstable quality of local raw materials

● Access to finance for farmers and agribusiness is still challenging

● Financial literacy is low ● Farmers operate in small scale, no

consolidation in place for mechanization, access to services, etc.

● Farmer organization/ cooperative link to funding financing

● Not clear government’s law and regulation.

● No clear government plan & program and many of priorities.

● Energy poverty ● Partnership and networking ● Synergy to do lobby and advocacy

for agriculture policy, laws and reform.

● Farmer organizations are still weak. ● China monopolise ● Environmental degradation due to

unsustainable practices. ● Language barrier between ethnic

groups.

● Partner organizations in Myanmar ● Foreign Investment ● Bank Loan for farmers ● Investment around finance and

services ● Technologies are available despite

outreach is limited ● Mobile solutions ● Mobile money ● 78% of population can access mobile

phone ● Mobile Data is getting more

affordable. ● 40.000 cooperatives in Myanmar ● Have like minded organization who

are working on the same platform ● Government invites those

organization to contribute for ADS myanmar

● Know each other who do for what? ● Have common interest ● Mutual support in different areas

can be access in future.

❖ Reflection on group assignment

During the group discussions we gave the floor for a brainstorm session about utopia 2030 - how

would Myanmar’s agribusiness climate look like? The different groups stressed the importance of

adequate human capacity - more talent across the entire value chain could help creating this utopia,

by attracting more youth to the sector. Therefore investments in the educational system are

needed. Ideas mentioned were 4 year agro colleges, stimulating agri-education specialists and

competent agri-leaders. Financial infrastructure, accessible data and technology would lead to a

more inclusive approach to the agribusiness. Law enforcements, for example on contract farming

and on importing illegal agri-inputs, and quality standards can protect the agriculture system and

ensuring quality and standards.

When zooming into the current opportunities of 2019, human capacity, mobile solutions and

(financial) access to data were underlined. It was particularly interesting to hear that finding

common ground, a platform, finding partner organizations and networking, capacity building and

policy advocacy across different sectors could be possible opportunities for the different

organizations, as tasks AgriProFocus can carry out.

❖ Floor for members

We provided floor for our close members, MDF Asia Myanmar and ICCO cooperation.

MDF presented about what is their organizations vision and mission for providing management

training, advisory and evaluation services worldwide. They shared about their current

implementation projects in Myanmar and their upcoming training in Myanmar. They especially

explained detail about the NICHE project which related with Agricultural sector, worked together

with AERES and Department of Agriculture.

ICCO cooperation presented about their projects areas and current implementation projects in

Myanmar. Currently, they have eight project, which implemented for the development of

Agricultural sector of Myanmar. And they also introduced the new project which related with youth

and agriculture.

❖ List of participants

Organization Name

Agriterra Eaint Myintmo

Agriterra Bertine Schieven

De Heus Nina Yu

East West Seed Chengrui Kang

East West Seed Mar Lar Soe

Embassy of the Netherlands Frederik Heijink

Embassy of the Netherlands Aye Aye Nwe

Fresh Studio José Molina

Fresh Studio Shun Lai

FSWG Dr. Tin Moe Khaing

ICCO Patricia/Wai Wai Hlaing

ICCO Su Myat Noe

MDF Susanne van Lieshout

Mercy Corps Wahyu Nugroho

Mercy Corps U Thet Oo

Myanmar Agriculture Network Aung Lwin

Myanmar Rice federation Moe Thu Win

One to watch Robbert Groenen

One to watch Ada Chai

Pioneer Agribiz Company Dr.Myo Aung Kyaw

Impact Terra Steve Daffern

Digital Trinity Ajit Patel

Golden Plain Htwe Htwe Aung

Satelligence Jet Greevink