Project profile — Improving Market Opportunities for Women Agricultural Producers

• Myanmar (100.00%)

• Public sector policy and administrative management:
Public sector policy and administrative management (15110) (15.00%)
Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (10.00%)
• Banking And Financial Services: Education/training in banking and financial services (24081) (30.00%)
• Agricultural inputs:
Agricultural inputs (31150) (5.00%)
Agricultural education/training (31181) (10.00%)
• Industry: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development (32130) (30.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (significant objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to increase women agricultural producer’s contribution to Myanmar’s economic growth. It works with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small and medium-sized enterprises, central and state governments, and financial institutions to increase access to credit, inputs, market linkages, and new technologies for women. The project also works directly with 25,000 women in Shan and Karen states to increase their income and status as economic actors and leaders in their communities. Project activities include: (1) providing training to women and men on gender equality and women in leadership principles; (2) linking women producers to savings groups; (3) mentoring women in leadership positions; (4) creating a capacity building program for local NGOs, enabling them to deliver market services to women producers; (5) providing matching grants to small and medium-sized enterprises for technology upgrades; and (6) designing new and improved financial products for women producers in partnership with financial institutions.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased income and status of women small producers as economic actors and leaders in their communities; and (2) strengthened provision of goods and services to women small producers by Myanmar public and private actors.

Results achieved as of September 2021 include: (1) benefited a total of 52,896 women clients through increased access to finance and markets, improved agricultural techniques and technology, new income opportunities and/or enhanced capacity to participate in decision-making ; (2) created 24,711 jobs for women in agriculture; (3) connected 6,186 women to village savings and loan associations or self-reliance groups, forming/strengthening a total of 339 groups and cumulatively mobilizing over $1.7 million in savings with over 20,000 loans; (4) increased market access for 6,644 women small producers, by connecting them with market actors and private sector partners such as lead firms, micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises and rice millers; (5) provided sustainable agriculture training to more than 760 women lead farmers on topics such as seeds and seedlings, soil and land preparation, integrated pest management, post-harvest management, climate change adaption, water saving technologies, good agriculture practices and growing technologies; and (6) provided 14,145 women small producers with supports to improve agriculture practices through knowledge-sharing activities.

• Proactive disclosure