Outline of the Project

Name

The Project for Capacity Development of Yezin Agricultural University

Country

Myanmar

Project Site

Yezin Main Campus, Zayar Thiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw

Date of R/D signed

May 7, 2015

Duration

5 years from November 23, 2015.

Counterpart Agency

Yezin Agricultural University

Background

Agriculture is the main industry in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The agricultural sector accounts for approximately 36 % of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2012 and employs some 60% of the labor force.

The current government, officially assumed in March 2011, regards agriculture and its relevant industries the most prioritized sector for national economic development, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI) encourages agricultural promotion through research and development activities for agricultural production expansion, quality improvement and technology dissemination. In resent years, MOAI has been promoting a market-oriented agricultural policy including the development of cultivation technology suitable for diversified natural environment, agricultural products with high market value, and new domestic and oversea markets for agricultural products.

Under this situation, MOAI sets a national policy such as development of new agricultural land, supply of irrigation water, agricultural mechanization, technological introduction for quality improvement and promotion of private sector participation in agriculture. MOAI has laid down six specific key policies as follows;

1. Ensuring profits and sustainable market for agricultural commodities,
2. Promoting seed industries for crops and varieties of marketable and good quality which are adaptable to local conditions,
3. Adopting good agricultural practices (GAP) for food safety and best management practices (BMP) for increasing productivity,
4. Applying irrigation, chemical fertilizers and manures efficiently along with other inputs,
5. Encouraging the emergence of agro-based industries, and
6. Reducing transactional costs and postharvest loss along the supply chain.

Yezin Agricultural University (YAU), the only single university of agriculture in Myanmar, fosters agricultural technicians, extension workers and academic researchers for both MOAI and private sectors. In particular, in response to recent changed and diversified needs of farmers and markets based upon market economy, YAU as human resources development institution is expected to acquire wider knowledge and to conduct specific research on various fields. Although most of professors and lecturers obtained Master's and/or Doctoral Degrees abroad, they could not show academic performance at a sufficient level in teaching and researching due to insufficient experience of research and practical teaching system in YAU. In addition, although YAU is trying to develop its utmost efforts, it is still necessary for YAU to overcome the institutional constraints such as infrastructure, hardware development, software development, and digital divices among faculties and staff.

Based on the above-mentioned circumstance, MOAI through YAU requested of JICA a technical cooperation on improvement of teaching staff capacity including education, research, and management system in YAU.

The project is aligned with the Japan's Projected Economic Cooperation to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. One of the ODA's priority policies is "Assistance for improvement of people's livelihoods including assistance for ethnic minorities and people living under poverty lines as well as agricultural and Rural Development" which aims to improve agricultural productivity so that their livelihood is improved.

Overall Goal

Qualified human resources in agricultural sector are produced by YAU.

Project Purpose

Education and research foundation for practice-oriented research is enhanced in 9 departments of YAU; Department of Agronomy, Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology, Department of Soil and Water Science, Department of Plant Pathology, Department of Entomology and Zoology, Department of Horticulture and Agricultural Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Economics and Department of Animal Science.

Input

1) Input by JICA

JICA will take, at its own expense, the following measures according to the normal procedures under the Colombo Plan Technical Cooperation.

1. Dispatch of Experts
   JICA will provide the services of the Japanese experts and other country's experts as follows;
   (Long-term Experts)
   Chief Advisor/ University Management, Teaching Improvement/ Agricultural Research and Project Coordinator/ Education Reinforcement
   (Short-term Expert)
   Baseline Survey and all other fields relevant to the Project activities
2. Training
   JICA will receive the Myanmar personnel involved in the Project for technical training in Japan and/or the third countries.
3. Machinery and Equipment
   JICA will provide machinery, equipment, vehicle(s) and other materials necessary for the Project activities upon mutual agreement.

Input other than indicating above will be determined through mutual consultations between JICA and YAU during the implementation of the Project, as necessary.

2) Input by MOAI

MOAI will take necessary measures to provide at its own expense;

1. Services of MOAI's counterpart personnel and administrative personnel,
2. Suitable office space with necessary equipment,
3. Supply or replacement of machinery, equipment, instruments, vehicles, implementation of the Project other than the equipment provide by JICA,
4. Travel permit for the JICA experts for official travel within Myanmar,
5. Information as well as support in obtaining medical service,
6. Visa for the JICA experts and their families,
7. Credentials or identification cards,
8. Available data and information related to the Project,
9. Running expenses necessary for the implementation of the Project,
10. Expenses necessary for transportation within Myanmar of the equipment as well as for the installation, operation and maintenance thereof, and
11. Necessary facilities to the JICA experts for the remittance as well as utilization of the funds introduced into Myanmar from Japan in connection with the implementation of the Project.