"Across Southeast Asia, agricultural growth has historically been a major driver of overall economic growth and poverty reduction (Christiaensen, Demery, and Kuhl 2011). Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam all enjoyed rapid agricultural growth as part of their successful development over the past several decades. Given broad similarities in the economic structures of these countries in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in comparison with Myanmar today, the historical evidence suggests that rapid agricultural growth in Myanmar has the potential to be the engine for broad-based economic growth and poverty reduction. Moreover, the current democratic reforms in Myanmar create opportunities for development of agricultural and economic policies for greater food security and poverty reduction.Official statistics indicate that agriculture is the largest economic sector in the country,accounting for nearly 43 percent of GDP and providing the main source of livelihood for nearly 70 percent of the population (Haggblade et al 2013). Agricultural productivity in Myanmar is low compared with most of Southeast Asia, which partially explains the disparity in relative incomes across the countries. Raising Myanmar?s productivity to the level of its agro-ecologically similar neighbors, and thereby spurring rapid agricultural growth, could significantly raise rural incomes and reduce overall poverty..."