Our Work in Myanmar

Myoe Sae trailer:
Watch the official trailer of our documentary series which explores the lives, learning and work of the East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer team and the communities they engage with in Myanmar. Discover real stories of empowered farmers and how they managed to turn their challenges into opportunities for a better life, through better knowledge and skills. Learn how KT trainers approach communities and where they find fulfillment in their daily interactions with farmers.

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Myoe Sae Episode 1: U Ang Chanh Thar

U Ang Chanh Thar lived in a hut but now has a house. The 33-year-old Myanmar farmer made a record profit of $850 USD last year from his tomato crop alone. Married for seven years, Thar followed in his parents’ footsteps to become a farmer. Previously, he grew eggplants, chilies, radishes, and other crops, but his attempts provided minimal output and low-quality crops. Working his family’s large farm, he was used to regular harvests that yielded less than 3 kilograms per plant. Since Thar’s introduction to East-West Seed’s mentor, Mr. Aung Ko Latt, Thar’s per plant yield has more than doubled.

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Myoe Sae Episode 2: Aung Ko Latt

To be called “sayar” (teacher) is high praise in Myanmar, but that is exactly what the smallholder farmers call Aung Ko Latt. The 42-year-old Aung Ko Latt is one of the technical trainers in the East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer team, based at Pwint Phyu Township in Myanmar.

Through hands-on guidance and instruction, mentors like Latt are teaching smallholder farmers across the region how to increase their harvest while maintaining sustainable farming practices.

When Aung Ko Latt first arrived in the Township he noticed that there were weaknesses with traditional farming methods, including bad cultivation and flooded farmlands. Through demonstration farms, the EWS team is teaching local farmers how to extend their farming
methods to cultivate more and better produce. When the vegetables are ready for picking, EWS and their team invite fellow farmers from the community to partake in the harvest to display the product of their newfound knowledge. The outcomes of these “exhibition harvests” have been so successful that farmers from distant villages have been known to travel great distances to witness the event.

Retailers, such as seed sellers, have also been an important factor in spreading the word about proven systematic cropping methods, encouraging many of their clients to observe the successful demonstration farms.

EWS’s proven methods and knowledge transfer have changed farmers’ lives, with many farmers now able to purchase homes and send their children to school. And, most importantly, they have the necessary resources to plan for next year’s crop.

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