Country Profile

Fish provides more than 60% of animal-source food for the people of Myanmar, with per capita fish consumption around 45 kg per year. Despite this, around 50% of the population lives in poverty, particularly in rural areas where close to half the population relies on farming for employment, producing crops, livestock, and aquaculture. The fisheries sector employs 3.2 million people, with inland and marine fisheries accounting for nearly 65% of fish production. However, climate change is impacting the sector through changes in water temperature, river erosion, and storm surges. While aquaculture has grown significantly and now contributes 35% of annual fish production, Myanmar has seen a decline in capture, inland, inshore, and offshore fisheries.

WorldFish’s Support

WorldFish has been working in Myanmar since 2014, focusing on integrating research with local organizations and aligning with national strategies. The goal is to increase the production of nutritious aquatic food to help mitigate food insecurity and poor dietary diversity, which affect around 50% of the population. The program seeks to unlock growth in aquaculture while sustaining capture fisheries through improved management. WorldFish is also committed to developing small-scale aquaculture, stimulating the growth of small and medium-sized aquaculture enterprises to improve incomes, human nutrition, and health. Efforts include working with supply chain actors to produce and market dried fish powder, improving nutrition for over 2,000 people, especially pregnant and lactating mothers and young children.

Key Initiatives

• Integrated Rice–Fish Production: In 2020, Myanmar produced 3 million metric tons of fish worth USD 9.8 billion, with integrated rice–fish-vegetable systems increasing land use profitability by 40–100%, improving livelihoods, food security, and better utilizing agricultural land.
• Hilsa Conservation: The hilsa industry, valued at USD 1 billion per year, is critical for local livelihoods, nutrition, and ecosystems. WorldFish's research programs address hilsa stock decline due to overfishing and habitat degradation, proposing science-driven policies to protect these stocks and support sustainable livelihoods.
• Feed the Future Burma Fish for Livelihoods: This project aims to increase fish production, consumption, and labor productivity, benefiting almost 15,000 participants, including more than 5,000 women. It promotes social behavioral change and entrepreneurship in small-scale aquaculture systems.

Fast Facts

• Per capita fish consumption around 45 kg per year,
• Fish provides over 60% of animal-source food in Myanmar.
• 50% of the population lives in poverty, with the highest rates in rural areas.
• In 2020, Myanmar produced 3 million metric tons of fish worth USD 9.8 billion.

Enabling Impact

WorldFish's efforts in Myanmar focus on promoting diverse, nutrient-rich diets through integrated agriculture systems, such as rice–fish production, which increases profitability and sustainability. The organization also works to preserve hilsa stocks, which are vital to local livelihoods and ecosystems, by implementing research-driven policies and promoting sustainable fisheries management. The Feed the Future Burma Fish for Livelihoods project further supports vulnerable households by increasing fish production and promoting nutrition-conscious behaviors.

Moving Forward

The triple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and climate change have heavily impacted food production systems in Myanmar, leading to increased costs and reversing progress against malnutrition. WorldFish collaborates with the Scaling Up Nutrition network and other partners to analyze cost-effective strategies for smallholders to produce nutritious food, focusing on value addition and market access. The MYMarket project is another key initiative, driving climate-smart aquatic food production and inclusive market development to support economic growth and poverty reduction.

Partners

• Myanmar Fisheries Federation
• Myanmar Department of Fisheries
• CGIAR Initiative on Asian Mega Deltas
• CGIAR Initiative on Aquatic Foods
• ASEAN-CGIAR Innovate for Food Regional Programme
• BRAC International
• Karuna Mission Social Solidarity
• International Water Management Institute
• CSO-SUN Alliance
• Mg Moe Khaine Mye
• Ar Yone Oo Social Development Association
• Mawk Kon
• Greenovator
• Village Link
• Pegu Partners
• United States Agency for International Development
• Livelihoods and Food Security Fund
• CGIAR Trust Fund

Donors

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Livelihoods and Food Security Fund
• CGIAR Trust Fund

Download the Myanmar factsheet here