TaT Lan Programme Sustainable Food Security and Livelihoods in Rakhine State

Location Myebon, Pauktaw, Kyaukpyu, Minbya Tsp, Rakhine State

Donor Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT)

Duration 4 years (March 2013 to February 2017)

Grant Budget USD 22,118,066

Background

Tat Lan is a US $ 22 million rural

development programme in central Rakhine

State that responds to the needs of people

in the four townships most severely affected

by Cyclone Giri, which made landfall in

2010. It is funded by the Livelihoods and

Food Security Trust Fund and implemented

by a consortium of non government

organisations led by the International

Rescue Committee

Rakhine State is one of the least developed

areas of Myanmar, and faces a number of

chronic challenges including poverty, weak

infrastructure, high population density,

malnutrition, and exposure to extreme climate.

Cyclone Giri made landfall in central Rakhine

State on 22 October 2010. The townships

of Kyaukpyu, Myebon, Minbya and Pauktaw

were the most severely affected by the storm.

According to government data, at least 45

people were killed or went missing as a result

of the cyclone, while over 100,000 people

were left homeless. At least 20,380 houses

were completely destroyed, with an estimated

260,000 people (52,000 households) affected.

Approximately 17,500 acres of agricultural

lands and nearly 50,000 acres of aquaculture

ponds were also destroyed.

The Tat Lan Programme, funded through a

grant from the Livelihoods and Food Security

Trust Fund (LIFT), is implemented by the

International Rescue Committee (IRC) in

partnership with Save the Children UK (SC),

Oxfam, and Better Life Organization (BLO).

Tat Lan builds on the emergency response

by equitably and sustainably improving

the livelihoods of severely and moderately

cyclone affected communities in the

townships of Myebon, Pauktaw, Kyaukpyu and

Minbya. Tat Lan is implementing a package

of comprehensive, mutually-reinforcing

interventions to improve livelihoods and food

security and its approach is grounded in a

village-based participatory planning process

that will engage communities – both men and

women - in the implementation of development

activities, ensuring that the programme is

responsive, effective and sustainable.

Overall Goal

Purpose

The sustainable increase in food and nutrition

security and incomes of participant households.

Livelihoods are to be improved equitably and

sustainably in villages that were severely and

moderately affected by Cyclone Giri.

Specific Outputs

Component 1: Village-based Planning Process

By engaging communities in the processes of

implementation and monitoring and evaluation, the

programme expects to achieve a more effective

implementation with more responsive, equitable, and

sustainable outcomes.

As of 1 May 2014, 80 Village Development

Committees (VDCs) had been formed; 30% of

members were women. The committees serve as

community focal points for the programme, and

members of the VDC will receive training in 2014 to

assist them with their new roles. Training will focus

on motivation and leadership, group facilitation,

conflict management, and information sharing by the

consortium members.

Sub-committees have been formed for

Infrastructure, Village Savings and Loans

Associations (VSLAs), Agriculture, Nutrition,

Infrastructure, and Fisheries. These sub-committees

play an important role in implementing programme

activities.

Component 2: Infrastructure

The widespread deterioration of embankments

has had a direct negative impact on the

population’s productive activities and food

security. Additionally, the shortage of and

disrepair of freshwater sources, particularly

village ponds, hinders access to safe water for

drinking, cooking, and other household needs

during the dry season. This in turn threatens

nutrition security. The programme has started

to develop and restore these key community

assets, which serve as a foundation for the

programme’s agriculture, fisheries, cash-for-

work (CfW), and nutrition components.

As of 15 May 2014, in the townships of

Kyaukpyu, Pauktaw, Myebon and Minbya a total

of 85,345 feet (16 miles) of embankment has

been constructed and CfW beneficiaries have

received in total MMK 299,441,750.

Component 3: Fisheries

Tat Lan will strengthen village-level fishery groups,

build their technical capacity, and promote economically and

environmentally sustainable fishery and aquaculture practices

The fisheries sector provides a

crucial source of income and dietary

diversity for many households in

Rakhine State. Existing fishing

practices, however, are both

unsustainable and disadvantageous

to small-scale fishermen. Tat Lan

will strengthen village-level fishery

groups, build their technical capacity,

and promote economically and

environmentally sustainable fishery

and aquaculture practices.

The programme will pilot innovative

technologies to connect groups to

gender-sensitive value chains and

marketing strategies to help secure

increased income for men and

women fisherfolk.

Key Activities in 2014:

Marketing and value chain strategies: A value

chain analysis is underway, exploring market

requirements, constraints and value addition

opportunities for different innovations (tilapia,

fresh water fish/prawn, mud crab, post larvae

and processed fish/shrimp products).

A site for a collective marketing centre (mullet

fish) has been selected in Pauktaw township.

Two more sites (one in Myebon and another in

Kyaukpyu) are to be developed in June.

Tat Lan, together with Network Activities

Group (NAG), participated in updating the State

Fishery Law through a consultative process,

providing fishing groups with fishing rights and

the right to manage fishing grounds.

Technical capacity building for fishery groups:

NAG will deliver a Training of Trainers session

to Fisheries Field Officer (FFO) as well as to

township-level government extension officers.

FFOs will in turn provide training to clusters of

Village Fisher Sub-committe representatives

who will transfer the training content to the

fisherfolk at the village level.

An assessment of fishing gear for small-

scale fishermen has been undertaken. Based

on this, legal fishing gear will be distributed

among selected fishermen

Aquaculture production activities: NAG

will deliver comprehensive training on

best management practices for different

aquaculture production techniques: shrimp

mangroves, mud crab fattening, tilapia,

integrated fresh water shrimp and rice

polyculture.

Component 4: Agriculture

Activities under this component will

focus on improving productivity and

resilience in the rice system, while

also stimulating diversified crop

production. Additionally, emphasis

will be placed on promoting nutritious

food for consumption. The delivery

of key inputs such as seeds and

fertilisers, building local capacity, and

demonstrating innovative technologies

and practices will form the basis of

these activities. The programme will

also pilot interventions that address

key issues constraining productivity

and food security in the existing

agricultural systems.

Rice production

The main activities related to rice production

will start during the rice growing season in

2014. Some highlights are: (a) distribution of

quality seeds of both salt tolerant and locally

adapted high yield varieties; (b) working with

township Department of Agriculture (DoA) to

establish on-farm rice adaption trials and rice

demonstrations in four townships, (c) farmer field

school methodology will be used as a capacity

building tool to further improve rice productivity

in each village.

As of 15 May, four farmers and four staff from

the Rakhine DoA participated in a study tour to

an IRRI project in Bogale, Ayeyarwady to learn

about improved rice cultivation practices.

A paddy production trainers’ training took place

in Sittwe in March 2014 for selected agriculture

staff, farmers and staff from the DoA in the four

townships.

High yielding variety seeds for the rice

cultivation conditions in the four townships have

been procured and will be multiplied in 2014 by

selected farmers for wider distribution in 2015.

Diversify non-rice production: Demonstrations

on best practices/innovations in mixed cropping,

including integrating field crops, fruits, and

staples in single and/or relay plots will take

place.

The programme is supporting vegetable

production by providing a package of inputs

and training.

During the dry season of 2013/14 619 farmers,

36% of whom were women, received training

and seeds to grow vegetables. 27 farmers, of

whom five were women, made a cross-visit to

farmers in Shan State to learn about sloping

agriculture land techniques.

Innovations in the existing agricultural systems:

A training demonstration on the preparation of

eco-fuel stoves will be held in June and July. In

addition, several acres are targeted for recession

cropping using legumes and pulses after the

paddy harvest on November. Mechanical rice

threshers are targeted for at least 20 villages

and mechanical rice dryers will be tested in four

villages to introduce innovative and efficient

methods for postharvest activities.

Financial services will provide a much-needed monetary injection

into local economies, while at the same time strengthening

programme interventions in other sectors, and contributing to improved livelihoods

Component 5: Financial Services

Access to financial services is critical

for households to expand their means of

generating income or growing small-scale

businesses, thereby ultimately increasing

food security. Through its financial services,

the programme will provide a much-needed

monetary injection into local economies, while

at the same time strengthening programme

interventions in other sectors, and contributing

to improved livelihoods. Through the formation

of Village Savings and Loans Associations

(VSLAs), the programme enables clients to

save and to access loans and stimulus grants.

Subsistence farmers and fishermen will have

the opportunity to become small business

owners.

In each village, there will be one or more VSLA

composed of 10-25 self-selected community

members, led by a group of elected volunteers

trained by Save the Children.

As of May 2014, 59 VSLA groups have been

formed in 25 villages in the four townships.

Component 6: Information Management

Through the information management

component, the programme will ensure that

knowledge and information generated by

programme activities will be shared within

and across villages, with relevant government

departments, and all programme stakeholders.

Information sharing at the village level: Public

gatherings, sub-project activities and trainings,

and the establishment of village information

centres will be used to ensure information is

widely and appropriately disseminated.

As of May 2014, there are information boards

in all villages explaining the Tat Lan/LIFT

complaint mechanism.

Component 7: Nutrition

Increasing income can have a positive effect on

nutrition, but to achieve significant improvement

in nutritional status, income increase needs

to be paired with the three pillars of food

security: increasing access to nutrition-rich

foods, increasing the availability of those foods

in remote areas, and increasing community

knowledge and skills for appropriate preparation

and consumption of nutritious foods.

Nutrition and food security assessment

The Tat Lan nutrition team participated in

comprehensive nutrition and food security

assessments to gain an in-depth understanding

of the context. Findings are currently being

used to inform nutrition Behaviour Change

Communication strategies that will be

implemented across Tat Lan project areas in the

coming quarter.

Assessments completed include:

A Baseline Assessment of the nutrition status

of women and children, and infant & young child

feeding practices

A “Cost of Diet” study to determine

accessibility, availability and affordability of

nutritious diets in community

Social Mapping and Infant & Young Child

Feeding Qualitative Assessments to identify

community perceptions.

Activities in ‘Nutrition Innovation’ villages

30 villages will receive focused nutrition

activities, comprised of mother-to-mother

support groups, peer counselling and cash

transfers to further address the causal factors

of malnutrition in the target areas.

Activities were launched in 30 villages

(19 in Pauk Taw and 11 in Myebon).

30 volunteers were recruited in these villages.

In Pauktaw, 19 volunteers were trained and

have commenced activities.

In June, 11 volunteers from Myebon will be

trained.

18 Mother-to-Mother Support Groups (MtMSG)

were established in 14 villages.

Nutrition mainstreaming activities

The Tat Lan nutrition team facilitated basic

nutrition sessions for all Tat Lan IPs. Staff

training, Training of Trainer sessions, and 27

nutrition education sessions were conducted at

community level.

Component 8: Governance

The consortium prioritises the involvement

of the Government of Myanmar in the Tat

Lan Programme to improve its quality,

sustainability and coordination in community-

driven livelihood efforts. The intention is to

foster increasing government ownership of

the programme, with government adoption of

successful approaches from the programme

by year four. Tat Lan’s technical capacity

development efforts will engage government

line departments involved with programme

activities, including the Department of

Agriculture, Department of Fisheries and

Department of Irrigation.

Activities in governance include

Training of 8 Township Development Saving

Committee members in good governance and

social accountability, in Tat Lan townships and

Sittwe.

Training for Village Development Savings

Committee members in Kyaukpyu