Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics Food Security Group

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) recently hosted a launch for the new book, Myanmar’s Agrifood System: Historical Development, Recent Shocks, Future Opportunities. The book, co-edited by Michigan State University’s Dr. Duncan Boughton and Dr. Ben Belton, alongside researchers from IFPRI, addresses the dramatic impacts of multiple crises on Myanmar’s agrifood system and explores potential pathways for recovery and development.

Resilience Amid Crisis

Myanmar has endured multiple crises in recent years — including COVID-19, global price instability, the 2021 coup, and widespread conflict — that have disrupted and even reversed a decade of economic development. Household welfare has declined severely, with more than 3 million people displaced and many more affected by high food price inflation and worsening diets. Yet, agrifood production and exports have proved surprisingly resilient.

Key Insights and Policy Implications

Myanmar’s Agrifood System: Historical Development, Recent Shocks, Future Opportunities provides critical analyses and insights into the agrifood system's evolution, current state, and future potential. The book fills an important knowledge gap for one of Southeast Asia's major agricultural economies — one largely closed to empirical research for years. It is the culmination of a decade of rigorous research, offering valuable guidance for immediate humanitarian assistance and informing future strategies for growth, once a resolution that ensures lasting peace and good governance is achieved.

Drawing on this extensive research, the book outlines how investments in infrastructure, improved rural mobility, and agricultural mechanization helped drive poverty reduction before 2020. However, the recent crises have exposed significant vulnerabilities. The book emphasizes the need for a dual approach: urgent humanitarian aid and long-term strategies to strengthen agricultural productivity and governance.

The insights presented are crucial for stakeholders aiming to address Myanmar's pressing food security challenges and foster inclusive growth in one of Southeast Asia’s most vital agricultural economies.

Learn more and access the book here:

• Purchase the Book