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CHIN STATE
BACKGROUND
Chin state is located in the north‐western part of Myanmar, bordering India and Bangladesh with 10 highland townships.
The State consists of high mountains and deep valleys, and is one of the poorest and most isolated states in Myanmar.
Only a few villages can be accessed by car during the rainy season, making transport of food and other commodities
difficult and expensive.
WFP FOOD PLUS CASH‐FOR‐WORK
Chronic food insecurity is widespread in Chin. Lack of agricultural and ACTIVITIES IN CHIN STATE
infrastructure investments and geographic isolation have been forcing WFP Field Office: 2 staff in Hakha
villagers to rely on subsistence agriculture. Yet, the traditional slash
and burn farming is depleting the bamboo forests and causing a Project Duration: January 2009 – June 2009
decline in crop yields. In average, cultivation of a few acres of land
only produces just enough to feed a family of five or six members. Total Resources Received: US$ 708,000
DFID: US$600,000
External technical and financial assistance from International Denmark: US$ 108,000
Organizations and NGOs has been limited. While WFP and partners
have been providing food assistance through Food‐for‐Work Fund Requested: ECHO: US$ 180,000
programme since 2005, the level of assistance from the humanitarian
community has been a minimum. A majority of the poor farmers has Estimated Total
been struggling, relying on local church networks to cope with the Number of Beneficiaries: 61,263
vagaries of food access, even before rats came to their forests.
Total Tonnage: 1,452 mt
RODENT INFESTATIONS
Chin State, already suffering from chronic food insecurity, has been beset by an infestation of rats in northern and
western areas since late 2007. The rodents have been attracted to an indigenous variety of bamboo which flowers every
50 years. The rats feed on the fruit of the flowering bamboo and multiply rapidly. The infestation has caused the
destruction of food grains and other food items,
particularly in the areas where the bamboo grows
abundantly.
Estimated 70,000 people in 129 villages in 6 townships
(Tonzang, Tiddim, Htantlang, Madupi, Paletwa and Hakha)
have been severely affected by the rodent infestation.
According to the study conducted by GRET in April 2008,
75% of crops have been destroyed by rats and 30% of
villagers surveyed had left their fields after the rat
infestation. In November 2008, a joint assessment team
from WFP, WV, and KMSS found that villagers in Falam
expected no crops to harvest in autumn. Farmers are
reported to be struggling to meet day‐to‐day food needs,
resorting to edibles gathered from the forests. In search of
employment, many are migrating to border areas in India,
placing an additional pressure on the precarious economic condition on the other side of the border. If requested ECHO
contribution is received, WFP will carry out a food security assessment throughout Chin State in March 2009, in order to
obtain an in‐depth understanding of the situation on the ground.
WFP FOOD PLUS CASH‐FOR‐WORK ASSISTANCE
WFP and its Cooperating Partners have responded to the rat crisis by launching a “Food plus Cash for Work” programme
in 6 townships. Food‐for‐Work is designed to increase community assets while providing livelihood opportunities to
acquire food. The activities will focus on improving productive assets that will increase their food security, such as
agriculture land development, construction of trafficable roads, as well as others identified by the communities
themselves. The cash component is added to meet additional food needs. The cash earned will also help get out of
debts for those who borrowed to endure the crisis. A total of 6,360 households in 50 villages in the project areas will
benefit from the assistance.
Project activities are scheduled to begin in mid‐January. Coordinating with UNDP who are implementing projects in the
southern part of Chin Sate, WFP’s assistance focuses on the northern part of the state. Specifically, through 12 projects,
WFP will develop 155 acres of terraced land in Tiddim, Falam, Hakha, and Htantlang Townships in collaboration with
GRET, a total 15 miles of roads in Tonzang and Tiddim with KMSS, and 72 miles of road assets in Hakha and Htantlang
with CAD. Each project will last 15‐45 days.
The expanded terraced land is expected to support 1,898 households in 17 villages when completed, and the newly
constructed roads will provide 28,972 villagers an increased access to 25 surrounding villages. The roads are expected to
improve the communities’ food accessibility as well as access to water.
Preparations are well underway. WFP has set up in Hakha a Field Office with 2 staff, under the support of Magway Sub‐
Office, implementing technical planning, distribution preparations, as well as advocacy efforts with local authorities. As
of end‐December, about 136 mt of rice has been prepositioned in Hakha and Tiddim for food distribution in January, and
additional 500 mt of rice is being purchased. Partners and community members are in the process of procuring non‐food
items necessary for the projects including construction material and tools for land development.
RESOURCES
As of January 2009, the Chin projects are resourced with US$ 708,000, generous contributions from DFID and Denmark.
WFP has submitted a proposal to ECHO in order to support additional 7,500 beneficiaries with 203 tons of food, as well as
to carry out the food security survey. Depending on the survey result, further funding may be needed.
Total
Township Villages Households Beneficiaries Total TM Total Kyats Cooperating Partners Donors