A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2004

The research studied the Poverty Alleviation Program of Environmental Sustainable, Food Security and Micro-income Opportunity Project implemented by UNDP/FAO in collaboration with the Myanmar government launched in the Dry Zone for the rural poor. This project covered three townships namely Magway, Kyaukpadaung and Chaung U in the Dry Zone implemented during 1997-2001. Main objectives of the research were to assess the impact and the benefit of the project to the poor households to obtain beneficiary's perception and their level of satisfaction on the project and to make recommendations to strengthen the future poverty alleviation program. The research was conducted in two villages of different geographical areas of Chaung U Township namely Than Pin Kan and Pae Pit Taw. The main data collection methods were a household survey, key informants interview with project beneficiaries and key staffs of the project, group discussions with members of community-based groups and participatory poverty assessment and field observations on soil conservation, community woodlot, private woodlot and agroforestry sites. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied in data analysis of this research. Research findings showed that there were positive changes to the poor households based on social, economic, institutional and environmental impacts. Most of poor households obtained viable benefits from soil conservation, forestry, agriculture, livestock and income generation activities, which improved their standard of living. The highly positive impacts to their living were found in terms of changing in number of food deficiency days, consumption pattern, drudgery time in daily activity, accessibility to institutional services, reducing in indebtedness and migration. The benefits gained from soil conservation, livestock and agriculture activities were highly perceived by the poor households. Their perceptions on impacts of the project were high in all aspects. The poor households had a high level of satisfaction on the benefit gained from soil conservation, agriculture, livestock and income generation activities that were highly responsive to their needs. However, there were some problems encountered in this Program. These were inadequate loan, inadequate seeds, maintenance on soil conservation structures, inadequate fertilizer, inadequate draught cattle, lack of plants for forestation, high cost of pig's feedstuff and medicine, inadequate knowledge on animal diseases, lack of quality breed sow, and fluctuation of pig sale price. Certain recommendations were suggested to strengthen the future improvement of the poverty alleviation program including enhancing income generation opportunities, creation of employment opportunities, extension of soil conservation activities and intensifying forestry activities. Provision of credit scheme, promotion of soil conservation activity, improving quality seed production, intensifying input supply on agriculture, increasing farm implements and promotion and extension of forestry were also suggested to enhance greater impacts to marginal farmers. Provision of credit scheme, increasing animal feed program, promotion of extension service, provision of adequate quality breed sow and providing market information were outlined to enhance the greater impacts to the landless.