Farmers' access to information services in upland rice-based cropping systems in northern Myanmar

Sian Pau Thang, BBA

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

Rice is the major stable crop in Myanmar, providing both food security and household income for smallholder farmers, especially in northern Myanmar. In 2011, the Myanmar government implemented major political and agricultural reforms, including land reform and the rapid growth in Information and Communication Technology (ICTs). However, rice production has remained constrained by poor infrastructure, limited market access, low productivity, and limited access to timely and reliable agricultural information. These challenges are particularly evident in rural areas, such as Bhamo District. This study examines rice farmers' access to agricultural information and its association with the use of agricultural inputs between 2010 and 2016. The study used a quantitative approach, with two independent cross-sectional surveys of 106 rice farmers in 2010 and 2016. The respondents in each year were heterogeneous in age, education level, farm size, and farming experience. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. The results showed that most farmers cultivated small rice fields of up to 4 acres per household, whereas in 2016, cultivated areas increased to 5 acres or more for >30% of farmers, suggesting a tendency toward larger rice fields. This aligns with the increase in farmers' access to agricultural information from 42.5% in 2010 to 50.9% in 2016. Similarly, barriers such as not knowing whom to contact and distance to information providers declined by 25.4% and 35.8% in 2016, respectively, compared to >50% and >44% in 2010. The use of communication channels such as mobile phones (16% to 25.5%), social media (9.4% to18.9%), face-to-face interaction (25.5% to 46.2%), visits to agricultural offices (29.2% to 47.2%), and community gatherings (29.3% to 40.6%) increased in 2016. Using improved agricultural inputs, such as improved seeds (8.5% to 15.1%), chemical fertiliser (48.1% to 58.8%), chemical pesticides (45.3% to 50.0%), and more advanced agricultural technology (20.8% to 27.4%), increased in 2016 compared to 2010. However, the Chi-square tests showed no statistically significant association between information access and agricultural input use in both years. Our results are consistent with reports published between 2010 and 2016 that identified key barriers to farmers' access to appropriate agricultural information, including poor infrastructure, weak extension services, and low socioeconomic status. Our findings also suggest that information alone does not ensure higher farm input use as farmers face limited financial resources, high input costs, and poor access to credit or markets. Therefore, support from the local government and NGOs through training, credit access, and extension services is highly recommended. The results also confirm the need for timely, reliable, and locally relevant agricultural information to support the sustainable development of rice farming systems in northern Myanmar.

Keywords

upland rice farmer, agricultural information access, Information and Communication Technology (ICTs), formal and informal information sources, agricultural input use, Bhamo District

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 17. 5. 2026

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 1. 6. 2026
• Vedoucí: doc. Ing. Vladimír Verner, Ph.D.
• Oponent: William Nkomoki, externi

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Magisterský studijní program:
International Development and Agricultural Economics