Contribution to Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT)

Myanmar is at a turning point, as ambitious reforms have yet to show results in rural areas. The challenges are just as great as the opportunities, as decades of isolation, mismanagement and strife have driven 32% of the population below the poverty line, especially ethnic minorities. Initiated before the reforms, LIFT is the only multi-donor fund working to improve livelihoods. LIFT plays a central role to coordinate the increasing development partner presence in the agriculture and rural development sector, and to engage with government for strategy formulation.

To sustainably reduce the number of people in Myanmar living in poverty and in hunger; working towards achievement of Millennium Development Goal 1: the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger.

Rural poor, smallholder farmers and landless living in LIFT target areas, including selected sites of the delta, dry zone, coastal zone and the uplands of Myanmar.

1. Increased incomes of rural households

2. Increased resilience of poor rural households to shocks and stresses

3. Improved nutrition of women, men and children

4. Improved policies and effective public expenditure for pro-poor rural development

Resultados previstos:  

1. increased agricultural production and incomes;
2. improved market access and market terms for smallholder farmers
3. increased employment in non-farm activities for smallholders and the landless;
4. increased access to affordable financial services by smallholder farmers and the landless
5. improved diets of women and children
6. safeguarded access to and sustainable use of natural resources for smallholders and the landless
7. strengthened local capacity to support and promote food and livelihood security
8. generation of policy-relevant evidence regarding smallholder farmers and landless

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

By mid-2014, LIFT-funded projects had reached 575,655 households or approx. 2.8m people. Of these, 57,000 households had increased income through agricultural activities; 290,000 had an increase in food security by at least one month; and 44,371 women established enterprises after training. LIFT continues to contribute to the evidence base on the drivers of poverty in Myanmar and is at the core of donor coordination.

Local and int’l NGOs, UN agencies, research organizations, multi-laterals, and government departments. The Fund helps guide the national Sector Working Group on Agriculture and Rural Development (with Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation), as well as the Consortium of Development Partners (with the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development.)  

As part of this eleven-donor Fund, Switzerland coordinates with the development agencies of Australia, Denmark, the EC, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and the US. LIFT coordinates with the multi-donor 3MDG Fund in terms of policies and approaches to nutrition.

Fase 4 05.12.2014 - 31.10.2017   (Completed)