Agricultural extension EXECUTIVE and nutrition

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION EXECUTIVE & NUTRITION-SENSITIVE AGRICULTURE Capacity Building Training for Agricultural Managers and Extension Officers of Department of Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation August 2018 MYANMAR

Capacity Building Training of Trainers on Agricultural Extension Executive and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Training Centre (AERDTC) Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, MYANMAR August 6-11, 2018 Jointly organized by the Department of Irrigation, Water Management and Utilization Department (IWUMD), Department of Agriculture (DOA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) with Cornell University USA, the World Bank and the World Bank financed Agriculture Development Support Project (ADSP) Funded by: The World Bank-Myanmar Training conducted and report prepared by: Dr. Khin Mar Cho International Agricultural Extension, Food and Nutrition Specialist Cornell University, New York, USA August 2018

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Capacity Building Training of Trainers on Agricultural Extension Executive and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture The two professional training workshops jointly organized by the Department of Irrigation Water Management and Utilization Department (IWUMD) and Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) with Cornell University USA, the World Bank and the World Bank financed Agriculture Development Support Project (ADSP) were successfully conducted from August 6-11, 2018 at the Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Training Center (AERTDC), Nay Pyi Daw, Myanmar. Over 50 representatives from MOALI attended and actively participated in all activities throughout the training. Most of them are DOA Agriculture managers and Extension officers from ADSP project implemented States and Regions and other States and Regions across Myanmar and they have 20-25 years of experience in Extension and two participants have over 30 years of experience in Extension. However, they have very limited or no experience with training abroad. The first workshop on Agricultural Extension Executive Training was conducted from August 6-8, 2018 including a half day field visit to Sinthe village in Nay Pyi Taw. The training started with a quick assessment of training needs of participants followed by knowledge management lessons including Extension Concepts, Principles, Strategies and Methodologies; Extension Management, Participatory and Decentralized Extension Organization, Institutional linkages between Agricultural Education, Research and Extension organizations; Good practices of global extension education and its relevance to Myanmar; Challenges and Opportunities of Extension System in Myanmar; Modernizing Extension Education and Advisory Services focusing on participatory extension, pluralistic extension, demand-driven and market driven extension, supply chain, value chain and market system development, farmer organization development, women and youth involvement in Agribusiness; and ICT for Extension Modernization. In addition, “Skills for Success” for extension professional and “New Extensionists: Roles of Extension Managers and Extension Workers” were also discussed. Time management, teamwork, leadership, communication, presentation and organizational skills were practiced through Hands-on training activities and individual and group exercises in the classroom and in the field. The second training workshop on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) was held from August 911, 2018. Training materials were organized in 5 modules and covered a range of topics. It also included Pre/Post: Training Needs Assessment with participants. Module 1 included the following topics - An introduction to Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Programming, Food and Nutrition Security in Myanmar, ASEAN and Global, Understanding Food Systems, NutritionSensitive Agriculture: Linking Agriculture, Food Systems and Nutrition. The Module 2 covered 2

Nutrition Basics, Essential Nutrition Concepts, Indicators of Nutritional Status, Micronutrient Malnutrition, and Interdependence Between Health and Nutritional Status. The Module 3 included Connecting Agriculture to Nutritional Status, Conceptual Pathways that Connect Agriculture and Nutrition, The Pathways Model, The Income Pathway, Women’s Empowerment Pathways, Expending the Pathways Model and Value Chains for Nutrition. The Module 4 was about Nutrition-Sensitive Program Design: Where Do I Start? Guidelines for Designing NutritionSensitive Agricultural Programs, First Steps to improve the Nutrition Sensitivity of Programs, Understanding the Surrounding Context and Collaboration through Multi-Sectoral Work. The Module 5 focused on Review and Group Presentations including participants’ Individual and Group Assignments and Case Studies. Throughout the NSA training participants were able to work group exercises on food and nutrition security in Myanmar: creating food production calendars by different agro-ecological zones, food productivity, food availability, food accessibility, food utilization, and nutrition analysis of Myanmar foods. In order to “Put Lessons into Practices” participants were given an opportunity to practice healthy food preparation at the training where participants were able to apply nutrition messages, food safety guidelines, good hygiene practices and dietary diversity. At the training participants were provided formal presentation on both Agricultural Extension and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture blending with discussion sessions and individual and group exercises through participatory and learner-centered approach. During the training participants were able to identify the constraints of existing agricultural extension system in Myanmar and conducted group discussions on needs, problems, challenges and opportunities of agricultural development, food and nutrition security in Myanmar and how to integrate nutrition information within agricultural extension programs. Participants were actively involved in discussion sessions, field study trip to vegetable growers, food demonstration, individual and group exercises throughout the training. Participants were provided a hard copy and a soft copy (USB) of training materials for both training workshops and certificate of completion. The organizers of training workshop events received many positive feedbacks from the MOALI staff who shown keen interest in learning new skills. Participants also indicated their keenness to share new knowledge gained from this training with farmers and communities in their responsible areas. They thank Dr. Khin Mar Cho, Country Director for Myanmar, International Agricultural Extension, Food and Nutrition Specialist, Cornell University, New York, USA for her role in making these training events a success. The high-level management commitment was also reflected by the support accorded to the workshops and daily attendance by Deputy Director Generals and Director General of Department of Agriculture at the workshops. A list of training participants and their feedback on both training workshops were summarized and shown in the following tables.

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Table 1: List of Training Participants (EAS and NSA Training Workshops) No. Name

Designation

Department/Responsible Areas

1

Daw Wah Wah Thein

Deputy Director

DOA- HQ (Land Use Division) - NPT

2

Daw Lay Lay Nwe

Staff Officer

DOA- HQ (Planning Division) - NPT

3

Daw Nwe Ni Mar

Deputy Staff Officer

DOA- HQ (Seed Division) - NPT

4

Dr. Nyo Me Htwe


DOA- HQ (Plant Protection) - NPT

5

Daw Aye Aye Aung


DOA- HQ- NPT

6

Daw Hnin Wit Yi

Dy Asst. Staff Officer

DOA- HQ (Extension Division)- NPT

7

U Htein Lin Han

Assistant Director

DOA-Nay Pyi Taw Council

8

U Hla Nyein

Assistant Director

DOA- Nay Pyi Taw Council

9

U Kyaw Kyaw Oo

Assistant Director

DOA-Taungoo/Bago Region

10

U Aung Lwin Oo

Assistant Director

DOA -PyinOoLwin/Mandalay Region

11

U Zaw Win Tun

Assistant Director

DOA-TaungGyi/Shan State

12

U Swe

Assistant Director

DOA-Shwe Bo/Sagaing Region

13

U Soe Thein

Assistant Director

DOA-Meikhtila/Mandalay Region

14

U Min Kyi

Assistant Director

DOA-Yemethin/Mandalay Region

15

U Ngwe San

Assistant Director

DOA- Magway/Magway Region

16

U Win Shwe

Assistant Director

DOA-Kantbalu/Sagaing Region

17

U Zaw Wan

Assistant Director

DOA-Pathein/Ayeyarwady Region

18

U Myat Min Htwe

Assistant Director

DOA-Gangaw/Magway Region

19

U Aung Myo Win

Staff Officer

DOA-Myitkyina/Kachin State

20

U Kyaw Kyaw

Assistant Director

DOA-Loikaw/Kayah State

21

U Win Myint

Staff Officer

DOA-Yedashe/Bago Region

22

U Naing Min Hlaing

Staff Officer

DOA-TaungNgu/Bago Region

23

U Kyaw Kyaw Nyunt

Staff Officer

DOA-SinGu/Mandalay Region

24

U Win Nyunt

Staff Officer

DOA-PyawBwe/Mandalay Region

25

Daw Yi Yi Mon

Staff Officer

DOA-WunDwin/Mandalay Region

26

U San Yu

Staff Officer

DOA-MaHlaing/Mandalay Region

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No. Name

Designation

Department/Responsible Areas

27

Daw Zar Zar Min

Staff Officer

DOA-ShweBo/Sagaing Region

28

U Zaw Win Soe

Staff Officer

DOA-Pale/Sagaing Region

29

Daw Khin Mar Cho

Staff Officer

DOA-YinMarBin/Sagaing Region

30

U Hla Moe Kyaw

Staff Officer

DOA-WetLet/Sagaing Region

31

U Soe Aung

Staff Officer

DOA-KhinU/Sagaing Region

32

U Kyaw Soe Min

Staff Officer

DOA-TantSae/Sagaing Region

33

U Aye Min Tun

Staff Officer

DOA-DePeYin/Sagaing Region

34

U Ye Min Thaung

Staff Officer

DOA-KyaukSe/Mandalay Region

35

U Zaw Linn

Staff Officer

DOA-MyoThit/Magway Region

36

U Kyi Myint

Staff Officer

DOA-NatMauk/Magway Region

37

U Tun Lwin

Staff Officer

DOA-HmawBi/Yangon Region

38

U Saw Khin Kyaw Myint

Staff Officer

DOA-ThaHtone/Mon State

39

U Patrick Buew

Staff Officer

DOA-NyaungShwe/Shan State

40

U Sen Za Khup

Staff Officer

DOA- PhaAn/Karen State

41

U Tun Nyunt

Staff Officer

DOA- Tatkone/Nay Pyi Taw

42

Daw Mee Mee Tun


IWUMD-HQ-NPT

43

Daw Su Thazin Phyo


IWUMD-HQ-NPT

44

Daw Thin Nwe Kyi


IWUMD-HQ-NPT

45

Daw Sanda Tin Shwe

Social Safeguard Specialist

PMU (ADSP)

46

Daw Moe Moe Lwin

National M & E Officer PMU (ADSP)

47

Daw Myint Myint Aye

Assistant Director

DOA-HQ (Extension Division) -NPT

48

Dr. Khin Myo Thant

Staff Officer


49

Daw Khaing Hnin Oo

Assistant Staff Officer


50

Daw Yee Yee Tun



Remarks: Out of 50 participants 32 are Male and 18 are Female which include 3 women from DOA State/Region, 4 women from DOA-HQ (Land use, Seed, Plant Protection, and Planning Division), 6 women from DOA-HQ Extension Division, 3 women from IWUMD-HQ, and 2 women from ADSP-PMU. Observers: Deputy Director Generals of DOA, Head of Extension, Seed and Plant Protection Divisions, Principal, Deputy Principal and trainers of AERDTC

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Table 2: Summary of Participants’ Responses (N=45) Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

1. The objectives of the training were clearly defined. 2. Participation and interaction were encouraged. 3. The topics covered were relevant to me. 4. The content was organized and easy to follow. 5. The materials distributed were helpful. 6. Individual and group exercises were helpful to practice team work, time management, leadership, organization and presentation skills 7. This training experience will be useful in my work. 8. The trainer was knowledgeable about the training topics. 9. The trainer was well prepared.

62%

38%

-

-

-

49%

51%

36%

64%

22%

76%

38%

62%

51%

49%

56%

44%

71%

29%

60%

40%

10. The training objectives were met.

56%

42%

11. The time allotted for the training was sufficient. 12. The training room and facilities were adequate and comfortable.

4%

27%

38%

31%

60%

9%

Training Topics and Workshop Session

2%

31%

Q 13. What did you like most about this training workshop? Agricultural Extension Education • Deeper understanding of extension concepts , two-ways communication between service providers and target audience, their complex social and cultural structure, and how to perform extension works effectively and efficiently • Elements of innovative extension system and global extension practices • I like very much detail information about agricultural extension concepts, principles, strategies, methodologies, policies, administration • I like modernized extension and advisory services focusing on supply chain, value chain and market system development, gender and nutrition, women and youth involvement in agricultural extension and agribusiness • The “New Extensionist “Learning Kit: Extension approaches and methods; Extension program management; Adult education for behaviour change; Knowledge 6

• • • •

•

• •

management for rural advisory services; Farmer organization development; Value chain extension; Agricultural entrepreneurship, etc. Learning experience from extension and advisory services in Africa, Asia and USA Opportunities to practice critical thinking, decision making, group exercises, teamwork, participatory, active and collaborative learning and teaching methods I like teaching styles, learner-centred approach, individual brainstorming exercises, group exercises and physical activity. I did not get bored throughout the training and learned a lot of new knowledge every day. Extension and Advisory Services in practice: Field trip to vegetables growers, learned about their success and challenges of vegetables and other crop production, household socio-economic conditions, cost-benefit analysis, market access, price, labour, seed, water, fertilizer, pesticides, weather etc. and gave them advice I like field trip, group exercises, discussion sessions, and teaching style of trainer. I gained a lot of knowledge on facilitation, presentation, communication and organizational skills from this training. I like most about adult education for behaviour change, farmer field school and home gardening along with nutrition education I like all topics of both training workshop. This is the first time I am learning about food and nutrition and how to link to agriculture.

Food and Nutrition Education • I like most group assignment of working on crop calendars by States and Regions representing different Agroecological zones, learned lots of new crops grown in Myanmar and they contain lots of nutrition and health benefits • Looking at crop calendars and we feel shame on ourselves of eating imported expensive foods and wasting (not eating) our locally and seasonally produced foods • I like group exercises on crop calendars, over-consumption and under-consumption of food, calculating Body Mass Index and balancing calories to manage weight. • I like Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture the most and I feel very proud of being Agricultural extension educator and our role in nutrition security in Myanmar • Linking agriculture, food systems and nutrition for food and nutrition security • The lesson I like most is about food and nutrition, food groups, daily nutrients requirements by age and sex and guidelines for healthy eating lifestyles • I like nutrition education through cooking demonstration; enjoyed making cabbage salad with apple and energy drink made of cucumber, tomato and lime; learned nutritional values of all ingredients, food safety and good hygiene practices • My take away insights are MyPlate good nutrition messages, Nutrition analysis of our daily diets and 24-hour diet recalls, eating behaviour checklist questionnaire • How to manage healthy and nutritious foods for the family with limited resources • Good practices of healthy eating lifestyles and food safety guidelines • Nutritional values of Myanmar fruits and vegetables, eating more diverse and more colour for getting more benefits for nutrition and health • Information about food safety and good hygiene practices are very useful along with nutritional values of food items, healthy food preparation and dietary diversity • I like the food system approach starting from land preparation, food production and processing through consumption and food waste management

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Q 14. Did anything surprise you? Are you taking away new insights or intentions? If yes, please share. Agricultural Extension Education • Extension definition, strategies and methodologies, extension modernization and global good practices surprised me a lot. • Duties and responsibilities of extension professional, administrators, mangers and field extension workers, learning the “New Extensionist” • Learned extension and advisory services should be provided not only to farmers also to their family members and community members • High vale markets and high vale crops/products are essential elements of the innovative extension system • Importance of value chain development and management education in extension • Gained knowledge about market system development and increasing income opportunities for small farmers • Improved knowledge on crop diversification, processing, value addition, marketing, consumption, nutrition, waste management and the whole food system • Extension educators should be well rounded, knowledgeable and resource person • Gained lots of extension knowledge and detail information about global extension systems, participatory extension approaches and tools • Learned the value of diversity, inclusiveness, collaboration, cooperation, working together on common things to achieve the goals, building mutual respect • To create opportunities for learners/farmers to participate in your training in different ways – Active Learning and Cooperative Learning Practices • Should practice two ways extension education system- First listen to farmers and help them provide assistance they need, give farmers information and advice • Learned many different approaches to engage farmers and their family members, community leaders and members, and to educate them in many different ways • Extension education programs should be focused on farmers’ needs and problems • Try to engage farmers, listen to them, find their needs, problems and challenges, then provide extension education, information and advice they need • To become a good extension educator, we have to recognize and respect to farmers’ knowledge, combine with our knowledge and work together • Get more success and achieve more when we work together as a team • Importance of team work, the value of team work, working together achieving more • Learned best practices of women and youth participation in agribusiness, nutrition education and community development • Learned good practices of modernized extension approaches, tools and methods • Learned current situations and opportunities of Myanmar Agriculture sector • Practiced critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making and team work throughout the training workshop and learned how to improve my weakness and overall performance • Learned extension education through Farmer Field School approach and positive nutritional outcomes from home gardening • Low cost, effective and efficient extension education and advisory services through mobile application and social media

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Yes, I am taking away new insights “Technology development process” and “Linking Agriculture, food systems and nutrition” to my office This training gave me lots of knowledge, information and experience more than I expected. Particularly, this training clearly pointed out food and nutrition information are very important for every single one in Myanmar, food producers and food supply chain actors play very important role in food and nutrition security.

Food and Nutrition Education • Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture training workshop surprised me and I am taking away many insights: growing nutrient dense crops, how to prepare and eat healthy and nutritious food, nutritional values of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and seafood, cereals, nuts and seeds. I will definitely share this information with my family and farmers. Food and nutrition knowledge and information are very useful for all of us. • I am taking away many insights: How to keep healthy ourselves, focus on Dietary Diversity and nutritional values of foods we eat, good nutrition starts with My Plate • I learned eating locally grown healthy and nutritious foods for our daily dietary diversity needs is very important and it will contribute to the Agriculture sector development and country development. • Learned malnutrition, nutrients deficiency and related health issues in Myanmar and realized that our poor eating behaviour relates to poor nutrition and health outcomes and poor economic development and eventually poor quality of life • Learned nutritional values of fresh and processed foods, fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, nuts and seeds, egg, meat, and food safety and good hygiene practices • Yes, I am taking away global good practices of extension modernization. I gained a lot knowledge about food and nutrition security • My takeaway insights are growing diverse crops, eat enough fruits and vegetables every day, try to eat fish twice a week, eat pulses, seeds and nuts for protein requirements, Dietary Diversity, malnutrition related health issues, food safety and good hygiene practices, healthy energy drink, strategies to increase fruits and vegetables intake and strategies to decrease sugar, fat and sodium/salt intake • Yes, I will be taking away new insights and share. I start changing my eating behaviours, consuming enough fruits and vegetables, peas and beans and fish • I will definitely practice knowledge and information I learned from this training and share with my family members, friends and colleagues and farmers • I really like fresh flavorful healthy energy drink made of cucumber, tomatoes, lime and water. I will stop drinking sugary energy drinks. I will share this knowledge with my family, staff and farmers. • I am surprised the importance and value of Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture training and learned how to link agriculture, food systems and nutrition. This training is very useful for my current work and very good to share with relevant audiences in different community settings. • I learned detail information about macronutrients and micronutrients that we need for our brain and body development and functions. Our agricultural products are the main sources of these essential nutrients. • Very important and useful information and knowledge about food and nutrition, how to prepare and eat healthy and nutritious foods to meet individual daily requirements,

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practice healthy life styles, food safety messages, foods we should consume more , consume less and consume enough and diverse. Yes, I am taking away lots of new insights such as global good practices of extension, modernizing extension and advisory services, linking agriculture, food systems and nutrition, and dietary diversity. I will definitely share knowledge I gained from this training with my family and farmers. Yes, I learned a lot about extension modernization and nutrition. I noticed that we are not eating healthy and nutritious foods enough. We all need to be healthy to perform our professional and personal work effectively and efficiently. Eating healthy and nutritious foods are very important.

Q 15. How do you hope to change your practice as a result of this training? Agricultural Extension Education • Knowledge and experience gained from this training will be applied immediately during this month and will be shared with my staff and co-workers in the office • I will share knowledge and information learned from this training with my staff and coworkers in the office • I will change my extension education and communication methods with farmers and their family members, and community members • After attending this training I realized that I need to improve my professional and personal development. I learned a lot how to improve my technical knowledge, communication and presentation skills to provide better services to farmers • As a result of this training I will change my extension education and communication methods, start using the concepts of modernized extension education and advisory services, and extension methods and strategies. • I will integrate food and nutrition information into my extension programs and provide better extension education to farmers • I will use different extension approaches to engage farmers and provide extension and advisory services • I will try to organize the development of small food enterprise/business in our district • I will try to read an hour every day for my professional development, try to get the latest research findings to share with farmers who are in need • To build trust with farmers and I will try to be a well-rounded and knowledgeable extension educator • To provide two ways education, have discussion with farmers and provide updated information and relevant and realistic advice • Try to listen first to farmers, find out their needs, challenges, issues and problems • Try to conduct my own daily research about farmers’ problems, issues and needs • To provide regular in-service and capacity building training with our staff • Try to create opportunities for farmers/participants to raise question, to participate in the workshop activities • I will practice different extension approaches and methods learned from this workshop when I conduct the training with farmers • Try to be a confident extension educator, build trust with farmers and respect them • Help create farmer organizations and farmers cooperatives

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To do the needs assessment first before we provide new technology to farmers Try to identify the target group and provide them training and education according to their interests and needs To modify the existing extension methods to meets with farmers needs To conduct research on needs of technology by farmers and to provide extension education on right technology that farmers need I will plan to deliver extension and nutrition messages to farmers at farmer field school, field day, field demonstration and their social events Try to engage farmers, organize them to be involved in field activities I will share my knowledge and experience gained from this training with my colleagues from different organizations in our township Try to update myself and then provide extension education to farmers Try to practice modernized extension good practices such as mobile phone application for agricultural technologies, social media for rural advisory services, role of producer organization, rural resource centre, etc. To study more about modern agricultural technologies and do continuous learning I will apply knowledge and experience from this training workshop when I go to the field, conduct farmers training, meeting with farmers and community members

Food and Nutrition Education • I will share knowledge I gained from this training with my family and farmers and I do hope that I will be able to change my own eating behaviour and encourage my family and then farmers • I will improve myself to provide better extension education and advisory services to farmers and I will integrate nutrition-sensitive agriculture messages into my current extension programs. I will practice healthy eating and do regular exercise, and also I will share this nutrition knowledge with farmers and community members and I will encourage and educate them to eat healthy and nutritious foods grown and produced locally and seasonally. • I will Integrate nutrition message into existing agricultural programs . I will practice “The Food Production Pathway “ • I will share nutrition information, exclusive breastfeeding and 1000 days nutrition messages with pregnant women and lactating mothers • I will apply immediately food and nutrition information for myself and my family and then provide information and knowledge to farmers and community members • I will change my eating behaviour and I will encourage farmers and participate in production of nutrient dense crops, commodities and food products in order to have good health and nutrition security • I will try to be healthy and strong by eating proper diets and doing regular exercise, then I can perform my professional extension work with full capacity • I will follow dietary diversity practices, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and encourage people to grow diverse vegetables at each and every single house and eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables everyday • I will educate people to reduce daily intake of sugar, salt/sodium and fat • I do hope to change my daily lifestyle as a result of this training.

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• • • • • • • •

I will share knowledge and information I gained from this training with my family, my office staff, farmers and rural community members I will change my living/life style (eating more fruits and vegetables, diverse diet, balancing my nutrients intake) as a result of this training. I will change my eating behaviour first, and then I will educate my family members, farmers and community members to practice eating healthy foods I will encourage myself and others to enjoy foods that are in season with full of favour and nutritional benefits As a result of this training I follow MyPlate nutrition messages, half of my plate is full of vegetables, reduce eating white rice, decrease my sodium, fat and sugar intake I will definitely change my diet and eating behaviours, and do regular physical activity I will practice with my family first and then I will organize others to practice healthy eating and active living I will start changing my own behaviour, eating enough and diverse nutritious foods and encourage my family, friends, farmers and community members to eat healthy and nutritious food for our good health and to prevent malnutrition related diseases

Q 16. What additional Extension and Nutrition trainings would you like to have in the future? • • • • • •

• •

• •

I would like to have more training on Good Practices of Global Extension and Advisory Services and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and other nutrition related training I would like to have more training on extension methodologies and pluralistic extension, food and nutrition training These extension modernization global practices are very valuable and I would like to have more training in the future This kind of extension training should be provided to the broader audience including DOA officers from township level and field extension workers I would like to have more food and nutrition security related trainings. I would like to suggest a new division under the Department of Agriculture or a separate Unit of the Agricultural Extension Division should be established and provide food and nutrition related trainings twice a year for our professional skills development Agriculture, Food Systems and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture should teach at basic education schools (elementary/middle/high school), universities and colleges. This kind of training should be provided to all public employee across Myanmar by different ministry on a quarterly basis (every three months); should be included in TV channels as weekly education program; All Myanmar citizen have to aware of these important information and nutrition should be included as additional subject in the existing public school curriculum and students from elementary, middle and high schools learn about food systems and nutrition as part of their basic education. Field visit to the local markets, supermarkets and also hotels would be great in the future training to learn hands-on food systems and nutrition management I would like to learn more about foods that we should eat seasonally and their nutritional values

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• • • • • • • • •

•

Awareness, campaign and education activities about food and nutrition knowledge and information should be conducted all over the country It is urgent need to provide food and nutrition education as public activities in the communities across the country I would like to learn more about nutrition “Good Nutrition Starts with My Plate” and I would like to attend more NSA training I would like to say this kind of valuable training should be provided regularly and we would like to attend and learn all updated knowledge and information I would like to suggest food and nutrition knowledge and information from this training should be taught as a subject in the basic education public schools Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture should be taught as a subject in all public basic elementary schools, middle schools and high schools across Myanmar I would like to attend training on Food and Nutritional Science, and using ICT for Extension and Advisory Services I am interested to attend extension related monitoring evaluation training and research methodology training In the future I would like to suggest Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture training and Climate Resilient Agriculture training should be conducted all over Myanmar. I would like to have more training about relationship between Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food and Nutrition Security I would like to request future Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture training for at least a week because there are so many things we need to know and learn.

Q 17. Please share other comments or expand on previous responses here: • • • •

• • •

This is the most important training for all of us. I am very interested to attend this kind of extension and nutrition training very often in the future. This is good training and workshop for everyone, learned lots of new knowledge and information about agriculture, food and nutrition that are very useful for all of us. This training is very useful not only for us also for everyone in Myanmar. Therefore, this kind of training should be provided at every State and Region, districts and townships, communities in rural and urban areas as much as possible Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture messages should be in the main agenda of extension education. We should educate farmers about food and nutrition along with agricultural technology at farmers meeting and their social and religious activities In order to provide Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture training effectively and efficiently across Myanmar government organizations should collaborate and cooperate with the private sector and international and local development organizations Since food and nutrition knowledge is very important and fundamental to good health of all human beings at all ages this subject should be taught in all basic education schools, agricultural training institutions, colleges and universities This training gave me better and deeper understanding of extension and nutrition concepts, guidelines and instructions for integrating nutrition messages within our existing agricultural extension programs. I wish this training would be provided for field extension workers countrywide

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•

• •

I will try to create school gardens and home gardens in our districts with participation from students, teachers, parents and villagers and provide food and nutrition education and share nutrition-sensitive agriculture messages I did not know before how nutrition is important for all of us and how to link to agriculture. After attending this training I gained lots of new knowledge and information about nutrition which is very useful to my current work on agricultural extension education. Since Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture is very valuable to Agriculture sector development and extension modernization I would like to suggest policy makers and decision makers should be included in the future training. Gained lots of experience from working on seasonal crop calendars and learned hundreds of food items produced and available in States and Regions across Myanmar I strongly believe that Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture information would be very attractive to farmers and community members. I will definitely talk about food and nutrition together with crop production information in my next meeting with farmers.

Table 3: Participants’ responses to opportunities and challenges of their extension activities Opportunities • • • • • • • •

• • • •

Education on value added technologies and small entrepreneurship to rural women Systematic Mobile-based education, Education through TV, Radio and Social Media There are plenty of land and water to grow nutrient dense diverse crops in Myanmar There are many international organizations working on food and nutrition security projects across Myanmar. We can get involved in their project activities and collaborate with them for farmer field schools, field day and field demonstration Learning opportunities through exchange study visits within in Myanmar and neighbouring countries Development of contract farming system, producers associations, processors and exporters associations, women group social enterprises, microfinance programs by different organizations Development of more farm machine industry and provide vocational training on technical, maintenance and repairing skills Training and Education opportunity of Integrated Pest Management, Zero Pesticides, organic farming, integrated farming, GAP, post-harvest technology, seed technology, soil and water management, crop intensification and diversification Training on food processing and value added products and link to high value markets International organizations and the UN organizations work collaboratively with government organizations, research and academic institutions on sustainable agriculture and rural development, food and nutrition security and livelihoods Encourage integrated farming: home gardening of nutrient dense crops, raising livestock (chicken, pork, goat, cow) and aquaculture Developing extension modernization strategies, polices, methodologies based on farmers needs and interests, market demand

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Capacity building of extension managers, officers and field workers to improve their technical knowledge, performance and provide better services to farmers • Strengthening collaborate work among public organizations, the private sector and international organizations that will result more achievement and more success • Encouraging mobile phone based extension and advisory services and conduct impact assessment research study Challenges • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Still practicing top-down approach and there is a lack of motivation for extension workers to perform innovative research and extension activities Extension workers do not have enough technical knowledge, communication skills and travel budget. Capacity building of extension workers is still limited. Farmers are more interested to attend meeting and training provided by NGO and CBO and have less interest in DOA extension staff Very difficult to organize farmers to change their behaviour of growing crops in traditional and conventional methods Extension workers have language barrier to educate farmers in the mountain areas Urgent need of intensive extension education and advisory services on production of safety and quality products, GAP and organic products Over utilization of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for crop production as these are very easy to access and farmers can purchase in debt Market competitiveness for agricultural products, need safety and quality products for high value markets, poor behaviour change community practices Climate changes and limited knowledge on climate resilient crop intensification, crop diversification, etc. Cropping pattern need to be changed according to the climate changes. Labour shortages and limited farm mechanization opportunity are major challenges for farmers Very little investment in Agribusinesses, due to high production cost and low-income from agricultural products most farmers are in the debt cycle. Building trust with farmers is a real challenge because farmers trust more Agro-input dealers than DOA extension workers Limited number of field demonstration compared to large number of farmers to show the success of trial/experimental plots, good outcomes of new technologies, etc. Farmers are reluctant to adopt new technologies Limited number of farmers participation in the DOA trainings, meetings and field demonstration Limited effort on supply chain, value chain and market system development Inadequate practice of growing diverse crops in irrigated farms Growing rice after rice makes soil fertility decreased Young generation aren’t interested in farming in the villages and migrate to the urban areas for high income jobs such as driving a taxi, working at textile factory or construction work or restaurants Farmers use more chemical fertilizers than organic and or natural fertilizers

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Need urgent actions to take on dangerous chemical fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides markets across Myanmar to protect the soil, to produce safety foods and to save people lives DOA field extension workers need to be provided some equipment such as Moisture and PH meter to use for their education to farmers, travel expense and technical knowledge and professional skills development training Extension agents need to learn modern technologies and related research experience Cabbage and melon farmers leave the whole farm without harvesting due to high labor cost and low market price, farmers need stable high value markets for seasonal crops Farmers focus on growing crops for quantity not for quality Farmers have limited access to good quality seeds and they practice traditional methods they knew for seed production Limited number of farmers and food supply chain actors are practicing GAP system Limited effort on Private Public Partnership in agricultural extension in Myanmar Post-harvest management, seed production technologies, IPM, climate resilient crop production technologies are high demanding Poor collaboration between extension, research and education institutions (YAU and SAI). Limited effort on sharing modern technology through students’ research and internship opportunities Lack of Farmer Group Association and Farmer Cooperatives, there are only limited number of producers association Due to climate change, farmers are suffering from flood and drought and crop productivity and quality are decreased Although farmers have access to government loan, access to many private and organizational credit programs, they are still in the debt cycle. Access to high vale markets for agricultural products are quite challenging. Limited access to quality seeds is one of the main challenges to farmers. Elderly people and women are mostly attended in our training and meetings. Men are busy with working in the filed or in the garden. Most farmers have low literacy and less interest in learning agricultural technology such as GAP, IPM, postharvest, seed production, etc. Due to lack of sustainable and high value market for agricultural products farmers have no interest to make more investment in farming business. Farmers are more interested in field day and field demonstration. However, DOA can provide only limited number of field day and demonstration plots. The ratio of DOA extension worker and responsible farmers are very high, there is enough support for Extension workers to travel to villages to reach farmers and educate farmers Lack of linkage between Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation Department Lack of administration, policy makers, market developers Limited capacity building and technical knowledge training for extension workers We need to know right technologies, right time, right demonstrations

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Some action moments from the workshops and field study trip to vegetables farmers

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