Written by Khine Zaw
Border News Agency
Mrauk-U, June

As June draws to a close and we’re already well past the prime time for ploughing, only a few farmers can be seen working across the vast paddy fields.

At a glance, just two or three small groups of people ploughing the land are visible in the distance.

In previous years, it was common to see ploughing groups at nearly every turn, with the sound of farmers shouting to one another echoing across the fields.

But this year, the early monsoon season in Arakan which once came alive with the rhythmic sounds of ploughing from group to group is strangely quiet and still.

Farmers are no longer ploughing and cultivating all of their farmland.

They say they are now only planting a small portion just enough to feed their families.

In Arakan, where there are over 1.2 million acres of rice-growing farmland, farmers estimate that not even half of that land will be cultivated this year.

The reduction in the amount of land being used for rice cultivation is attributed to several factors: the high cost of agricultural inputs, rising labor wages, the inability to sell harvested paddy and rice, and the ongoing instability in the region.

Rice cultivation in Arakan has been steadily declining since 2022, a year that saw droughts during the early monsoon and storms later in the season. The trend continued in 2023 when Cyclone Mocha hit the region.

In 2022, around one million acres were cultivated, but by 2023, that number had dropped to just under 900,000 acres.

Following that, intense fighting broke out in late 2023. By the early monsoon season of 2024, the total area of rice cultivation in Arakan had dropped by nearly half, with farmers estimating that only around 600,000 acres were planted.

Among the few who continue to plough their fields is U San Kyaw from Kyaung Shay Chaung Village in Minbra Township.

Although he owns more than 30 acres of farmland, he says he is only planning to cultivate about six acres this year.

This means U San Kyaw will only be able to cultivate about one-fifth of his total farmland this year.

“Last year, I didn’t even recover my investment, so I don’t have the courage to plough much this year,” he said.

Last year, U San Kyaw was still able to cultivate more than 10 acres of his land.

At that time, due to both the intensifying conflict and saline water entering the fields during the late monsoon season, the rice yield dropped significantly, and U San Kyaw was unable to harvest all the paddy he had planted.

He said that from ten acres of rice fields, he managed to harvest only about 200 baskets.

Normally, ten acres would yield at least around 500 baskets under typical farming conditions.

Additionally, fertilizer prices were extremely high last year, making it difficult to use enough fertilizer to boost the yield.

As a result, U San Kyaw said he is planting this year only with the intention of producing enough rice to feed his family.

Like him, the majority of farmers in Arakan are also unable to fully cultivate all of their farmland.

In the region, a single sack of urea fertilizer now costs nearly 200,000 kyats, while a sack of compound fertilizer is close to 500,000 kyats. Meanwhile, diesel fuel has risen to nearly 2000,000 kyats per drum.

Additionally, farmers say that daily wages for laborers have also increased alongside rising prices of goods.

Those involved in farming and agricultural work explain that even if the weather is normal and rice yields are good, the rising costs of inputs and labor mean farmers won’t see significant profits.

Because of this, the number of farmers planting rice this monsoon season is expected to decrease compared to previous years, and domestic rice production is likely to decline noticeably.

If rice production declines, food security in the Arakan region with its population of around three million could be seriously affected, and prices for rice and other food staples may rise.

Although farmers in Arakan still have unsold rice stockpiles, they expect that at least six more months are needed before the new harvest arrives, meaning a half-year rice shortage is looming.

“One year’s supply of rice might be enough for now, but if fewer farmers plant rice this year, we will have to worry about the harvest for next year,” a farmer leader involved in agricultural efforts cautioned.

There are over 600,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Arakan region who have fled their homes due to ongoing conflict. Most of them are manual laborers and impoverished individuals. If rice production declines and prices rise, these conflict-affected displaced people will be the first to face food insecurity.

Because they lack access to international humanitarian aid, many IDPs are struggling to meet their basic needs for food and clothing.

With the prices of essential goods like cooking oil, salt, chili, onions, and meat increasing, a further rise in rice prices would inevitably push these displaced communities deeper into hunger and hardship, they warn.

“I just want to be able to buy rice at an affordable price,” said a displaced woman from Pauktaw Township.

It was urged that, to protect domestic food security, the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government provide farmers with the necessary support and assistance.

They call for assistance such as providing agricultural inputs at reasonable prices, helping with mechanized ploughing, and creating stable markets for farm products like paddy and rice.

The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government has been distributing fertilizer by region and selling it at affordable prices, according to sources close to the area.

However, on the ground, locals say some lower-level administrative officials have been selling fertilizer at inflated prices.

“Around here, it hasn’t reached us yet, but we’ve heard that in other areas they are selling it at higher prices,” said a farmer from Pauktaw Township.

Agriculture, which is the main livelihood for the majority of people in Arakan, is a sector that the government must prioritize for support. Experienced farmers warn that without government assistance; this could lead to further food insecurity and related crises.

Supporting agriculture will also help increase the value of domestic production, Arakan residents say.

They emphasize the need not only to provide agricultural inputs at affordable prices for Arakan farmers but also to establish export routes to enable the rice harvest to be sold overseas.

In previous normal years, rice from the Arakan region was exported and sold to other parts of the country and to Bangladesh, allowing farmers to sell their harvests fully and earn good prices.

However, in recent years, the Myanmar junta has blocked communication and transport routes, making it difficult to export and sell rice.

Farmers like U San Kyaw are now planting only enough rice to feed their families, which means that even basic food supplies for those who do not own farmland and rely on manual labor may become scarce.

“Around here, everyone only cultivates enough to feed themselves. Some people who own farmland don’t work it at all. As for me, I’ve stopped farming completely,” said U Khin Maung, a farmer from southern Pauktaw Township.

U Khin Maung owns nearly 20 acres of farmland but has stopped working in the fields because he fears losses and no profits.

“I’ll just live off what I have. Farming would only bring more losses. I suffered significant losses last year,” he explained.

When farmers stop working their land, daily laborers who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods also lose their jobs.

Normally, families who depend on agricultural work for daily wages have been able to earn enough to meet their basic needs and maintain relative food security.

“There are no other jobs here like in the cities. We used to do tasks like weeding and harvesting to feed our children. But now, there’s no work at all,” said a daily laborer woman from Minbra Township.

Because of this, the people of Arakan say it is essential for the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government to provide farmers with as much support as possible.

Additionally, some argue that the government should urgently cultivate the farmlands left fallow by landowners who are unable to invest and work their fields, in order to ensure food security.

“One way or another, even if it’s difficult to assist farmers directly, the government should use machinery to cultivate the land. When rice becomes scarce, it should be sold at affordable prices. The government has a full responsibility in this,” said a farmer advocate involved in support efforts.

Due to the rising prices of basic food commodities and overall economic hardship, it is now essential to prepare and offer assistance to prevent a food shortage and famine in Arakan a region that was once known for its abundant rice production.

Farmers and those working on behalf of farmers have pointed out that without timely support, even a rice-rich region like Arakan could inevitably face food scarcity and the threat of hunger.