Blessing/ Kantarawaddy Times
It has been almost four years since the people of Karenni State have been displaced by war. Two-thirds of Karenni’s population are now internally displaced persons (IDPs). As the period of displacement lengthens, the food crisis faced by the Karenni people has become increasingly severe.
Karenni is a region with very limited humanitarian aid access, and due to the current conflict, many people have been forced to flee and are still hiding in forests and mountains.
When speaking of food insecurity, the most critical needs are basic food items like rice, cooking oil, and salt.
Since the beginning of 2025, over 15 IDP camps in Demoso Township, Karenni State, have reportedly run out of rice, according to aid workers. This information is based on a survey conducted by Kantarawaddy Times, covering only Demoso Township, which has the highest number of IDPs. The situation on the ground may be even worse.
Karenni State is primarily an agricultural region that grows rice. Even during more stable political times, the state’s rice production was insufficient for its population, requiring imports from other states and regions. Now, with farming activities abandoned due to the ongoing conflict, the rice shortage has worsened.
Displaced people currently have no means to farm, and they must purchase food with whatever limited income they can earn, according to a woman in her 50s living in western Demoso.
“We’ve been displaced for a long time now. We have no farmland, and donations have decreased. I live with my daughter, who now works. Even though she earns a little over 100,000 kyats a month, it’s only enough to buy a sack of rice, some oil, and salt. Since we don’t have regular jobs, getting enough to eat is becoming harder,” she said.
Impact of U.S. Aid Suspension on IDPs
Starting in 2025, the U.S. government halted aid from USAID, forcing many civil society organizations (CSOs) and humanitarian groups to suspend operations in January. This has made it extremely difficult to provide food aid to IDPs.
Following the early actions of President Donald Trump’s administration to suspend international humanitarian funding, over 50,000 displaced people in Karenni State have reportedly lost access to food assistance, according to Khun Matthias, head of the humanitarian department of the Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC).
IEC stated that, besides food shortages, there is now also a critical shortage of medicine and other basic necessities.
While the IEC does not receive direct aid, the budget cuts have affected local CSOs and social organizations that distribute aid to displaced communities. Areas with the highest numbers of displaced people, such as Loikaw, Hpruso, Demoso, Bawlakhe, and Mese townships, are expected to face even greater hardships.
One of the aid workers noted that since the cut-off, requests for food assistance from IDP camps have risen sharply.
Moreover, since CSOs rely on donations from individuals to provide aid, whenever donor support is lacking, IDPs face difficulties obtaining rice.
“There are no camps that don’t need food right now. Every camp needs support,” said one aid worker.
The Major Challenges for Karenni IDPs
According to Kantarawaddy Times journalists who visited eastern Loikaw Township last week, many IDP camps have been without sufficient food supplies for at least five months to nearly a year.
“Last year, we had donors. This year, we haven’t had any,” said U Ngar Reh, a representative from Kholiso IDP Camp No. 2 in Loikaw Township.
At that camp, not only IDPs but also local villagers are sheltering together, numbering around 1,000 people. To survive, IDPs rent farmland from locals or work as day laborers.
Previously, they had a stockpile of emergency rice for the elderly, disabled, and children. However, with the lack of donations this year, they can no longer maintain an emergency rice reserve.
“They urgently need rice. Our emergency stockpile has run out. We have about 10 households that are in desperate need of rice. We have made connections with Kayah Li Phu Group, but they have not been able to deliver yet,” U Ngar Reh added.
Current Response from the Interim Government
The Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC), which serves as the de facto governing body, are trying its best to address the worsening food crisis, according to Khun Matthias, head of the humanitarian department.
The IEC is focusing on preventing the sale of local rice to external markets and instead purchasing and stockpiling rice within the state at set prices.
Additionally, the IEC’s Agriculture Department is conducting systematic land surveys to identify farmland that can still be cultivated.
Due to last year’s crop failures, the IEC has been distributing milled rice from stockpiles to farmers in different townships to mitigate food shortages.
Looking ahead to the coming farming season, the IEC is encouraging and planning for expanded agricultural activities compared to last year.
“For long-term resilience, we are coordinating with township administrations, business owners, and the public to expand farming activities. This year, we are preparing to cultivate as much land as possible,” said Khun Matthias.
Challenges of Farming and Land Access for IDPs
One major challenge for displaced people who have fled their homes due to conflict is the lack of land for cultivation. In some areas, they rent local people’s farmland to grow crops.
To meet their primary food needs, they mainly prioritize growing rice. In some places where rice cultivation isn’t very successful, they also plant crops like corn and peanuts.
On the other hand, it’s said that even in these farming areas, they face difficulties in accessing seeds and other necessary resources.
In some IDP camps in the eastern part of Loikaw Township, land has been allocated to displaced people to grow rice for their long-term sustenance. IDP camp committees have also encouraged them to increase rice production.
“We encourage them to produce as much rice as possible, at least one sack of rice per household. They have instructed each household to plant enough seeds for one sack of rice. In previous years, there were neither seeds nor funding. But this year, for example, for the displaced people, there’s at least some land allocated by the local villagers for cultivation,” said U Soe Reh, the person in charge of Kholiso IDP Camp No. 1 in Loikaw Township.
When the planting season comes, U Soe Reh said they will request the interim government to provide the necessary seeds and fertilizers for the displaced people.
Even though they are planning for farming activities, there is still a fear of airstrikes, heavy artillery attacks, and landmine risks from the military junta.
“The people can’t return to live in their villages because their homes are destroyed. Even if they want to rebuild their livelihoods, they can only do it within limits. There are frequent fighting and airstrike threats. Administrative teams are working together to find ways to handle these dangers,” said a humanitarian worker supporting IDPs.
Currently, fighting between revolutionary forces and the military junta troops continues not only in Bawlakhe Township in Karenni State but also along the Shan-Karenni border. Around 300,000 displaced people are still unable to return home.
Additionally, an IDP aid worker mentioned that because a lot of resources are being used for military expenditures, financial support reaching the IDPs has also been diverted towards the war effort.
Thus, Khun Matthias stated that to resolve the current crisis of basic needs facing the Karenni people, the conflict must be ended as soon as possible.
“First, we need to end the war as quickly as possible. Second, people need to control their emotions and stay as calm as they can. From wherever they are, they should engage in cultivation as much as they can. Our community leaders and organizations must systematically propose suggestions and request support. Also, only if international assistance increases beyond the current level will it be able to solve this crisis,” said Khun Matthias.
