A century of rice improvement in Burma - IRRI books - International ...

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CHAPTER IVRice production under theSocialist Republic GovernmentThe political rivalry that characterized the previous period finally led to thetransfer of government power to the military. In turn, the latter, ruling througha caretaker government, laid the groundwork for a free parliamentary election.It also effectively introduced changes in the administrative machinery,which was then plagued by inefficiency, lack of discipline, low staff morale,waste, and disorder. It tried to eliminate political influence in the discharge ofpublic duties.Security and administrative councils (SACs)—consisting of military, police,and civil officials—were established at the division, district, township,and village levels. The SACS reestablished law and order and improved publicadministration when they handed back power to the elected party in 1960. Butthis elected government was short-lived (1960-62); in 1962-74, it was replacedby the Revolutionary Government. This then led to the establishment of theSocialist Republic of the Union of Burma.These changes in government and administrative structure greatly influencedthe agricultural development plan. During the period, colonialadministration was completely abolished. The country was divided into sevenstates and seven divisions (Fig. 8). The Commissioner of the Burma CivilService Office, who used to run a division, was replaced by a DivisionalPeople’s Council; the Township Officer was superseded by a TownshipPeople’s Council; and the Headman, by a Village Tract People’s Council. Thedistrict structure in the administration setup was removed to bring thetownship closer to divisions or states. The People’s Council at the differentlevels was composed of five to seven members who were elected every fouryears (concurrent with the implementation of the four-year economic plan).Unlike the Burma Civil Service Officers, the People’s Councils took specialinterest in and responsibility for the development of the area, in addition tomaintaining law and order.People’s representation rather than central appointment was the principalessence of the change. This change facilitated the participation of the people in
the design, implementation, and evaluation of area development and economicplans. Legislation completely abolished landlordism and improved theplight of the poor farmers.Seminars were organized yearly to give farmers a chance to present theirneeds and air their grievances. The discussions in these seminars resulted inthe formation of Farmers’ Councils (later named Farmers’ Assiayones) inMarch 1967. The Farmers’ Assiayones promoted unity among farmers andfacilitated their adoption of modern technologies. It also enabled them toparticipate actively in the design, implementation, and monitoring of theagricultural development plan.Since farmers constituted the basic force in the implementation of theagricultural development plan, their participation ensured its successfulcompletion. The contribution of Farmers’ Assiayones in settling land disputes,disbursing and collecting agricultural loans, and pursuing other developmentalactivities was significant. For the first time, farmers had a role in the community,and their services received public recognition.World food shortages and the increasing population demanded greateragricultural production. Consequently, many international research institutescame into existence, like the IRRI in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, whichwas established to work mainly on rice. As part of a technology package, IRRIreleased modern rice varieties far superior to existing ones. Because of thelocation-specific nature of crop production, the technologies developed bythese international research institutes still had to be refined to suit localconditions. Burmese scholars who went to IRRI for postgraduate studiesimplemented adaptive research on the new varieties and technologies upontheir return. National agricultural research institutes were likewise establishedand equipped to carry out location-specific research. Other internationalagencies—the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and AgricultureOrganization, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank—andsome developed countries provided technical and financial assistance toimplement Burma’s agricultural development plan.Many factors contributed to the significant increase in rice productionduring this period. Peace and order conditions had improved considerably.Moreover, the period was marked by an environment that can be said to beconducive to development. Science stimulated rice production and effected asmooth technology transfer to farmers.After the Pyidawtha Plan, there was no economic plan laid out until 1970,when the government, guided by the Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP),drew up long- and short-term economic plans. The long-term plan (20-yrduration), was divided into five 4-yr short-term plans. The implementingguidelines of the BSPP highlighted four priorities for development: 1) toexpand production and exports in the agriculture, fishery, livestock, andforestry sectors; 2) to set up consumer goods industries to lessen imports; 3) to56 A CENTURY OF RICE IMPROVEMENT IN BURMA
Page 3 and 4:
The International Rice Research Ins
Page 5 and 6:
Rice trading 29Rice milling 29Rice
Page 8:
ForewordRice dominates Burma’s ec
Page 11 and 12:
ice production in the last decade.
Page 14 and 15:
CHAPTER IIntroductionBurma is situa
Page 16 and 17: 1. Trends in rice area and producti
Page 18 and 19: 3. Soil distribution.INTRODUCTION 5
Page 20 and 21: and the rest of the country in 1885
Page 22 and 23: Rice production growth during this
Page 24 and 25: 4. Rice threshing with cattle.5. Ri
Page 26 and 27: 7. Transplanting.Farmers classify r
Page 28: 8. States and Divisions (1-7 are di
Page 43: Table 11. Rice mills, 1894-1934 (DA
Page 51 and 52: Rice area and productionAlthough th
Page 53 and 54: Table 16. Rice production in select
Page 55 and 56: Tenants of State Agricultural BankA
Page 57 and 58: in 1960, representing a 17% increas
Page 59: Table 20. Summary of extension acti
Page 62 and 63: Table 24. Rice procurement by diffe
Page 64 and 65: This trade reduction severely affec
Page 66: conditions and a weak international
Page 71 and 72: Table 27 indicates the areas plante
Page 73 and 74: The coastal zone comprised four ric
Page 78 and 79: In the meantime, local researchers
Page 80 and 81: Table 35. Rice area planted, by gra
Page 83 and 84: All fertilizers were imported until
Page 85 and 86: points, 3) availability of cash amo
Page 87 and 88: hispa Hispa armigera. Though annual
Page 89 and 90: The amounts of agricultural loans g
Page 91 and 92: from double-cropped areas (Table 44
Page 93 and 94: when investment in the agricultural
Page 96 and 97: The program brought research and ex
Page 98 and 99: Table 46. Average area of responsib
Page 100 and 101: established practice among farmers,
Page 102 and 103: 12. Voluntary labor harvesting rice
Page 104 and 105: of harvesting. It sought voluntary
Page 106 and 107: nents that a larger project would r
Page 108 and 109: Table 48. Changes in area planted t
Page 110 and 111: Table 50. Average yield and product
Page 112 and 113: Results of analysisOf the variables
Page 114 and 115: Of the 19 variables used, 11 were s
Page 116 and 117: weather that it influenced rice pro
Page 118 and 119:
Table 54. Present level of technolo
Page 120 and 121:
size of holdings, 40% of the prize
Page 122 and 123:
average yield at that time was 2.20
Page 124 and 125:
Table 59. Monthly transactions of t
Page 126 and 127:
Table 61. Irrigated areas for rice,
Page 128 and 129:
Table 62. Tillage operation by trac
Page 130 and 131:
18. AFPTC rice procurement center.A
Page 132 and 133:
Table 65. Annual rice procurement (
Page 134 and 135:
for seeds; still others sold their
Page 136 and 137:
primarily to help achieve the AFPTC
Page 138 and 139:
Table 67. Annual rice production an
Page 140 and 141:
Table 68. Comparison of paid-out co
Page 142 and 143:
CHAPTER VImplications for the futur
Page 144 and 145:
agricultural research can be brough
Page 146 and 147:
Motivation of scientistsUnder these
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or as individuals. Research is to b
Page 150 and 151:
CHAPTER VIConclusionsBurma’s econ
Page 152 and 153:
References citedAdas M (1974) The B
Page 154:
SRUB—The socialist Republic of th
Page 157 and 158:
Appendix 1 continuedSown area Produ
Page 159 and 160:
Appendix II continuedShareRice a Al
Page 161 and 162:
Appendix IV continuedYear Exports Y
Page 163 and 164:
Appendix VIcontinuedVariable Symbol
Page 165 and 166:
All combined1977-84 1977-78 1978-79
Page 167 and 168:
Appendix VIII. Correlation coeffici
Page 170 and 171:
IndexAdas, M 6Africa 125, 137Agricu
Page 172 and 173:
farmers 6-9, 13, 18, 23, 25-26, 29,
Page 174 and 175:
Okpo Small Loan Department110, 111O
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