2 March 2012 — The following is the translation of the message sent by President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Agga Maha Thayay Sithu, Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma U Thein Sein on the occasion of the Peasants Day.

Esteemed peasantry,

Today is the Peasants Day designated to honour Myanmar peasantry. On this auspicious occasion, I wish you the entire peasants physical and spiritual well-being and a success in your farming.

Today, time is approaching for the new government which was elected by the people and took office democratically on 30 March, 2011, to turn one year.

Since it took office, the new government has been implementing the eight tasks after laying down the rural development and poverty reduction plan as a national objective in the interests of the people, and has been implementing the task for development of the agricultural sector of the peasants which make up the 70 % of the population as the first priority.

As Myanmar is an agro-based country, the government has stepped up its efforts for promoting the socio economy of the peasants and development of the agricultural sector with the aim of building the strength of the country.

The new government has also been making efforts for making the best use of the dams and river water pumping projects implemented by the former government, and for cent per cent completion of the irrigation systems which are under construction to boost agricultural produce of the peasants and their income.

As building the irrigation system would pave the way for double-cropping and mix-cropping patterns for the farmland which are relying on favourable weather and rain peasants would find job opportunities and earn more income.

Besides, as part of efforts for transition to the mechanized farming from the traditional farming system, the government drew short-term and long-term plans and has been implementing the plans step by step.

For increasing yield and improving marketability and quality of various corps including paddy, the staple crop of the State, it is being encouraged for producing and distributing strains for hybrid paddy, hybrid corn, hybrid sunflower, hybrid beans and pulses, and hybrid fruits with the help of technology. Peasants take enviable positions as private sector assumes a dynamic role in this attempt.

Formulating good agriculture patterns for producing high yield of crops, agriculturalists are discharging duties of training peasants first-hand in paddy fields, side by side with local farmers. It is establishment of sound foundation for agricultural development.
Esteemed peasantry,

After rejecting the age-old ideology of our ancestors, “engaging in farming as a result of no education”, the government is helping develop socioeconomic status of peasants and agricultural sector of the State through “engaging in farming with education”.
The scholars have compiled the agriculture subject in the curriculum for families of farmers in pursuing primary, middle and high school education all over the country. As basic education schools will educate them in an effective way starting from the 2012-13 academic year, agriculture sector can be transformed from manageable into commercial scale across the country.

Of food, clothing and shelter which are basic needs for daily survival, food is of paramount importance. Food sufficiency is critical to daily growing numbers of people. Today’s world population hits 7000 million. But size of the world remains unchanged. So, it is necessary to produce foods twice and thrice to satisfy growing population.

As our country is blessed with temperate climate and rich land and marine resources, we need to make all-out efforts to produce foods not only to meet food sufficiency for 100 million people of the country to be in the years to come but also to export them to foreign countries.

To do so, only when there are changes in mindset and farmland, transformation to mechanized farming and high yield strains can the aims to create an agro-based industrialized country be achieved.

For further improvement of the agriculture sector, emphasis is being placed on economically cost-effective measures, ensuring strong market, using quality strains to have reasonable price, using good agriculture pattern, organic and natural fertilizer as well as water at exact time and ratio.

Esteemed peasantry,

To step up efforts for building up a peaceful, developed and democratic nation aspired by all citizens, I would like to urge you all citizens including peasants from across the country to take part in nation-building tasks with unity and in harmony.