In October 2013, hosted by ECE of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Myanmar (CBCM), Asiadhrra leaders engaged in a partnership dialogue with MyanDHRRA leaders. This is in light of the new opportunities to strengthen cooperation focused on supporting farmers’ organizations and building learning models of rural farming communities. The stakeholders’ capabilities are also expected to be improved and development platforms supported, wherein, farmers’ groups/clusters or associations, NGOs and the government are able to address food security and significantly reduce poverty among their ranks with a view of replicating them at the wider and broader rural agricultural communities in Myanmar.
A deeper understanding about the situation of MyanDHRRA has also been grasped with the first Asiadhrra ExeCom meeting in the country. Ideas on how Asiadhrra can help strengthen the in-country DHRRA in the next three years were articulated. In order to explore cooperation support for farmers’ groups, a field visit was undertaken in the following areas: Kyone Ta Loke Village in Eimme District, Pathein, in the Ayeyarwady Division, which was led by Fr. Eikhlein Henry, Director of Karuna (Caritas) Pathein. Asiadhrra had a discussion with local farmers on their production and marketing activities and existing constraints. It is expected that Asiadhrra will launch a two-year project by the first quarter of 2014 to prepare the grounds for more programmatic cooperation with national and local partners towards farmers’ organizing and building their economic activities.
The ExeCom also had for its main agenda the regular updating and discussion on the progress of 2013 Asiadhrra operations and also tackled 2014 opportunities especially in light of its role as an agri-agency member of the AgriCord network. The ExeCom and MyanDHRRA had the opportunity of meeting with the AgriCord Managing Director, Ignace Coussoument, who explained its mandate of empowering farmers organizations and the cooperation that it could have with Asiadhrra and its members/partners in the Asian region. AgriCord and Asiadhrra had an earlier mission in the country to meet with high level officials of the cooperative ministry and with other rural development agencies in the capital, and with a national farmers’ organization and the country office of a partner donor agency. It is hoped that through the planned preparatory cooperation, other Agri-agency members will be enjoined to support and play complementary roles to respond to the many challenges confronted by family farmers in Myanmar.
The ExeCom finally resolved that Asiadhrra 40th anniversary celebration and general assembly will be held in Myanmar on October 2014, the decision of which was warmly welcomed by MyanDHRRA.
