Combatting food insecurity in Burma

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Title: Action Contre la Faim - Birmanie
Source/publisher: Action Contre la Faim
Date of entry/update: 2009-08-11
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: Francais
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Title: Trash is treasure as Myanmar environmentalist turns food scraps into fertiliser
Description: "To most people in Myanmar, food waste is nothing but garbage, and that attitude leaves Inda Soe Aung baffled. But the 35-year-old environmentalist isn't complaining, because what he views as his compatriots' lack of imagination has given him the business opportunity of a lifetime - turning what they throw away into fertiliser. "People think that food waste is just trash, trash, trash," he said. "It's difficult for me to introduce to the public that food waste is a natural resource." Each day, he collects about a tonne of food waste from wet markets near his home in Yangon's North Dagon Township, pouring baskets of leftover vegetables into a cart before processing it into organic compost over the course of several months. He started his business, Bokashi Myanmar, nearly two years ago and has so far created 500 tonnes of fertiliser, which he sells mainly for use in gardens and home farms. Advertisement His aim is to triple production and help the environment by reducing greenhouse gases, while persuading other people to adopt the techniques for soil preservation and combating climate change he outlines on his company's Facebook page. Yangon authorities estimate that, across all categories, the fast-growing city generates 2,300-2,500 tonnes of waste each day, inundating landfill sites that are decreasing in number as demand for land grows..."
Source/publisher: "CNA" ( Singapore)
Date of publication: 2020-06-04
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: The dangers of food poisoning
Sub-title: On April 2 last year, a proud mother and father in the Mu Daw village of Kani Township in the Sagaing Division held an initiation ceremony for their son, who was about to enter the monkhood. The family treated about 700 invited guests, including other you
Description: "The celebrations started at 9am, but by midday a number of guests complained of stomach aches. By early afternoon some had started vomiting, and others sought treatment at the Kanni Hospital. Around 200 people suffered from food poisoning, but thankfully no-one died. One five-year-old boy and one sixty-year-old woman were hospitalised for three days. Authorities from the Department of Public Health in Sagaing took samples of 16 ingredients used in the cooking, and discovered a case of severe food poisoning. “People need to be careful when handling food, whether it is for preparing or eating it. Locals don’t use spoons at the ceremonies, and often eat with their hands. We told them before that if their hands are not clean, then the chances of getting sick are much higher,” Kani Township Medical Officer Dr Wai Mar Nwe told Metro. The food donors need to be careful when choosing the right food, she added. “People in Myanmar have little awareness about the importance of food preparation and hygiene. Organisers first need to apply for permission from the Department of Public Health before preparing a feast for so many people, so that the food and cooking standards can be assessed. Very few people do that,” said Dr Myo Lwin Nyein, professor at the University of Medicine 2, Yangon. Dr Myo Lwin Nyein also used to head the Poisons Unit of the New Yangon General Hospital. Dr Kyaw Nyein Aye, expert in chemicals, food, biotech and environment and visiting professor at the Yangon Technological University, said, “To understand food safety, one must also understand risk management. If something is declared dangerous, people will be more cautious. If Myanmar takes a more proactive approach to food safety, then the incidences of food poisoning will be much lower.” Around ten percent of the world’s population suffer from some form of food poisoning each year, and 420,000 people die annually, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2019-08-21
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Food Security Assessment in the Dry Zone Myanmar
Description: "The food security situation in the Dry Zone has improved compared to a year ago. Overall, 17 percent of households are severely food insecure, 24 percent moderately and 59 percent food secure. In the areas covered in both 2009 and 2010, the share of severely food insecure households decreased by 15 percent. Households were able to enhance both food consumption and food access. In 2010, 10 percent of households had poor food consumption compared to 21 percent in 2009 in the areas assessed in both years. The share of households with an acceptable diet has increased from 36 to 58 percent. Households with poor food access who are depending on unreliable food sources decreased from 40 to 32 percent. The situation has improved across the Dry Zone. However, food insecurity levels remained high among households in Zone B, which is characterized by poor access to land and physical access to markets. Households relying on wood/bamboo cutting or casual labour as well as female headed households and those with children under-5 are more vulnerable to food insecurity compared to other groups. Agriculture is an important factor contributing to improved food security in the Dry Zone. Generally, farming households are amongst the most food secure households. They were able to benefit from relatively improved crop conditions compared to the previous year and increased marketing opportunities. Generally, there has been an increase in the area cultivated. In 2009, 40 percent of farming households cultivated a plot below subsistence level (< 2 acres), in 2010 the share was only 22 percent..."
Source/publisher: WFP (World Food Programme)
Date of publication: 2011-02-00
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 1.74 MB
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Title: Improving the Food Security, Nutritional Status and Livelihoods of Vulnerable Populations in Myanmar -- Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations -Myanmar 200032
Description: Executive Summary: "Myanmar has a population of 52 million divided among 135 ethnic groups; it is a food-surplus country with significant agricultural potential. But unfavourable economic policies, extreme weather, protection issues, poor social cohesion and marginalized population groups adversely affect livelihood opportunities, resulting in inadequate access to food. A recent nationwide household survey revealed that a third of the population live below the poverty line. National prevalence of underweight and stunting among children under 5 is 32 percent. The proposed operation provides food assistance for the most vulnerable and food-insecure populations. It is based on assessments, results monitoring, a WFP mid-term review of protracted relief and recovery operation 100663 and a formulation mission. This operation is designed to respond to shocks and enhance vulnerable households? resilience and coping capacity through food assistance. The objectives are to: > respond to the immediate food needs of people affected by shocks (Strategic Objective 1); > support and re-establish the livelihoods of the most vulnerable and food-insecure populations affected by shocks (Strategic Objective 3); > increase levels of education and maintain and/or improve the nutrition status of targeted women, girls and boys (Strategic Objective 4); and > increase food purchases from small farmers and improve their marketing opportunities while building government and partner capacity to address food insecurity (Strategic Objective 5). The operation is also in line with Millennium Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. WFP will implement activities directly or through its cooperating partners. It will continue its partnerships with United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations to complement food assistance and maximize the benefit of its activities. Strategies adapted to different contexts will support the hand-over of WFP assistance. As food security improves in operational areas, WFP will scale its assistance down. Increasing national capacity remains a challenge for the sustainability of the hand-over of WFP-supported activities..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme, Myanmar
Date of publication: 2009-10-14
Date of entry/update: 2010-10-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 278.26 KB
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Title: Promoting household food and nutrition security in Myanmar
Description: "Myanmar has a policy of promoting food and nutrition security and, at the national level, food production is more than that required to meet the country?s needs. Nevertheless, food and nutrition surveillance has revealed that malnutrition still exists in the country, despite economic growth and national food self-sufficiency. The National Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, formulated in 1994 and adopted in 1995, accorded priority to household food and nutrition security. Accordingly, in 1996, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Nutrition Centre embarked on a study of household food and nutrition security in Myanmar. A preliminary situation analysis revealed that transitional changes in the economic, demographic and social sectors have driven dramatic changes in people?s lifestyles, behaviour and practices and that these changes affect food and nutrition security. The present paper explores household and intrahousehold determinants of nutrition problems in Myanmar.".....Results Preliminary descriptive analysis demonstrated more acute malnutrition in the urban area than in the rural area for both the pre- and post-harvest periods. Furthermore, nutritional problems were more acute in both the urban and rural areas during the preharvest period than during the post-harvest period. Urban children consumed fewer calories than rural children during both the pre- and post-harvest times, while children in both rural and urban areas consumed fewer calories during the preharvest period than during the postharvest period, although all the differences were not statistically significant......Keywords: care of the vulnerable, food security, malnutrition, Myanmar, National Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition.
Creator/author: Aye Thwin MPH (NUTRITION), DFs&N, MB, BS
Source/publisher: Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr (2001) 10(Suppl.): S34?S39
Date of publication: 2001-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-10-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 34.63 KB
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Title: Improved Food and Livelihood Security for Displaced Ethnic Minority Villages in Former Poppy growing Areas of Wa Region, Shan State, Burma/Myanmar
Description: "Welthungerhilfe is implementing two Food Security Projects (FSP) in former poppy growing areas in Wein Kao District, Wa Special Region 2 in north-east Myanmar. The objective is to develop alternative livelihoods of the formerly poppy-growing population. This is to be achieved by establishing and strengthening village committees, by intensifying plant and animal production, by increasing technical capacities of the beneficiaries and by improving basic social services. The projects are implemented in neighbouring townships. Together 3000 households are targeted. Budget amounts to. 2,4 Mio EUR for both projects. Welthungerhilfe is implementing both projects itself. Food aid programs are supplementing project activities..."
Creator/author: Monika Ellinger
Source/publisher: Welt Hunger Hilfe
Date of publication: 2007-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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