A foundation for food security in Myanmars uplands

Over 60% of Myanmar’s Townships, constituting 42% of the population, are situated in the nation’s uplands. Despite pursuing multifarious forms of cultivation and livelihood strategies, including taungya shifting cultivation, a significant proportion of Myanmar’s upland population face severe food insecurity. The policy brief analyses pressures on these communities, including weak land tenure security under contemporary land legislation, landlessness, lack of protections for customary land, and the commercialisation of agriculture to highlight their impact on community livelihoods. Through this, the brief seeks to inform policy decisions in support of greater food security for Myanmar’s upland communities.