By Kantarawaddy Times
In the eastern part of Dee Maw Hso Township, Karenni State, farmers who practice shifting cultivation are reportedly facing significant losses this farming season due to adverse weather conditions.
While newly cleared fields showed good yields, other fields experienced poor productivity. The unfavorable weather this year, including irregular rainfall, has contributed to these losses, according to a local woman farmer.
“Many of the shifting cultivation fields have been affected by unfavorable weather, particularly inconsistent rainfall. Due to inadequate rainfall, crop productivity is insufficient, resulting in a shortage of food supply for this year,” she stated.
In Dee Maw Hso Township, a bag of rice is currently being sold for around 100,000 kyat. As rice yields from shifting cultivation fields have been poor this season, there are growing concerns about the long-term availability of rice and the need to purchase it.
“We are facing many challenges due to low rice crop productivity,” she added. “For example, if a family member is admitted to the hospital, we don’t have the budget for it. We have to decide whether to pay for medical care or buy rice for the family. Our focus is solely on securing enough food, leaving little room for addressing other family needs.”
The three villages in the Daw Ta Ma area were forced to flee their homes in March 2023 due to a military incursion and were unable to cultivate their fields until this year. Now, the villagers have resumed farming, with rice as their primary staple crop, supplemented by groundnuts and millet. Across the three villages, approximately 200 households rely on shifting cultivation for their livelihoods, with nearly every household growing rice.
